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NEW BOOK OF BERKSHIRE}. 




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A NEJV BOOK OF BERKSHIRE, 

Which gives the history of the past, mid 
forecasts the bright and glowing future 
of Berkshire s Hills and Homes, 

* 

Telling luhere they are and how to find them ; 
what they are, and why they are what 
they are — at once the most charming and 
desirable Summer Homes in the world. 






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Clark W. Bryan & Co., Publishers, 

SPRINGFIELD, MASS. 



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Dome of the Taconics— (Mount Washington.) 



Copyright, 1890. 
AH Righls Reserved. 



PRKKATORY. 



THE outcome of a thorough revision and re-writing of The 
Book of Berkshire, originally published in 1886, is A 
New Book of Berkshire for 1890. The words of intro- 
duction used on the occasion of the first issue of the book are 
as jiertinent and proper now as then, and were these : — 

Berkshire, by common consent, is not only a good place to be 
born in, but a good place to live in, and a good place to die in, 
as well. It is also prominently recognized as a good place to go 
out from, and equally a good place to come back to. Its tradi- 
tions are marvelously full, rich and interesting. Its history is 
replete with story, song and incident — with mention of good 
deeds, of patriotism, valor, chivalry and refinement; of enviable 
record and renown, and ''last, but not least," — so to speak — it 
is big with promise for the future ; that is to say, To-Day sees 
rising from the embers of its altars and its fires of Yesterday, a 
wealth of golden wreaths around the brows of fame and fortune, 
with which to gloriously perpetuate its To-Morrow. 

The record which Berkshire has made, both at home and 
abroad, is one to be proudly recited and to be read of admiringly 
and profitably. Its beauties of form, its favorable features of 
landscape, and its pictures of loveliness, in combination, are 
unsurpassed, however broad the comparison may be made. 

A Berkshire birth is something to be proud of, a Berkshire 
sojourn a delight, a rest, a recreation, a circumstance of pleas- 
ant memory, ever after, and a Berkshire residence a rich and 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



enjoyable life experience, far beyond that of *Hhe common lot of 
humanity/' as scattered broadcast over the earth. 

To illustrate and describe — all too briefly, however, — what 
God and man have done for this region among the hills; to pict- 
ure its beauties and glories, and to forecast the possibilities and 
the probabilities of Berkshire as it may be, is the object of the 
issue of this little book. The work of its preparation has been 
a labor of love, albeit that labor has been exacting, perplexing 
and sometimes discouraging. But it has had the pleasant 
thought and careful consideration of several years, the best 
efforts of our head, heart, hands and feet for many months, and 
these would have fallen far short of what has been accomplished, 
but for the valuable assistance and aid which have been so freely 
accorded to the enterprise. 

Our Book, as the public will readily discover, is prepared in a 
spirit of much enthusiasm regarding the subject matter in hand. 
Should the reader feel that there is, as the late Artemas Ward, 
once said, " Too Mutch " in this vein, and incline to the opinion 
that it savors somewhat of "gush," by comparing our own writ- 
ing with those from the " outside world," from whose eminent 
and conservative pens we have made quotations, it will be seen 
that we are in good company in making up our estimate of the 
Berkshire Hills and Homes. 

With this much of remark we close this ceremony of intro- 
duction with the simple announcement that whether The Book 
OF Berkshire is good or bad, perfect or imperfect, valuable or 
valueless, worthy or unworthy of regard and patronage, it is pe- 
culiarly its own, and strong in individuality, if in nothing else. 
It is not a History, nor is it a hastily prepared Guide Book, 
alone, but it is The Book of Berkshire, now A I^ew Book of 
Berkshire. 



The Publishers. 



BKRKSH IRK, 




ERKSHIRE, among all the summer resorts of 
the United States, is the solitary representa- 
tive of its kind. There is no other such 
combination of the wild and the beautiful in 
nature — of perfect harmony in variety. An- 
other region may be found conspicuous for 
imposing wildness, another that is pretty, 
possibly beautiful ; others may be healthful 
and invigorating, pleasant places for summer 
sojoiirn and interesting in their surroundings, 
where guests may find agreeable provision for 

" -_ theii comfort and enjoyment ; but there is not 

""" *" another region with which Berkshire must divide 

the honor of having all these at once — certainly, none possessing them 
all in the same high degree. Though the sublime work of nature may 
be found here, it is subservient to extraordinary beauty in the general 
eiSect upon the visitor. In the quality of this beauty Berkshire admits 
no rival ; if duplicates of its other claims may be found scattered else- 
where, the beauty of its scenery is unique and unrivaled. It seems as if, 
walled in from outside contamination and set apart from the spoiling 
hand of manufacture and traffic, here had been assembled the choicest 
touches of the Creator's handiwork. 

In most mountainous regions there is a tiresome similarity among the 
mountains, the hills, the forests, the valleys, the streams and the land- 
scape, but this is not so in Berkshire. Here, not only has no other region 
been patterned from, but the mountains and hills, on every hand, are 
fashioned in the most varied styles, the valleys are no two alike, and the 
scenery everywhere passes before the eye of the traveler in the richest 
and most lavish profusion of dissimilar characteristics. 

Amid all this, not an inharmonious effect is perceptible ; but, more 
than this, there is a marvelous blending of masterpieces of natural beauty, 
of the wild and the picturesque. Though there is civilization, somehow 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIKE. 



a wilderness is not out of place, and though the surface of the earth be 
ruffled and rugged, often forest- covered and untillable, yet it impresses 
one as the fittest dwelling-place of the highest civilization, above and 
removed from the toil and trouble, the money getting struggle of busi- 
ness and professional life. 

The effect of the environment upon the visitor from cities, upon the 
hard worker who would seek refuge from the cares of life and a tiresome 
noise and bustle, is of a most soothing character. Not only are the 
nerves rested from an irritating tension, but there is something about 
the scenery that imparts a quietude, a repose, a freedom from distrac- 
tion, a healing with the balm of Dame Nature. The unequaled harmony 
of the surroundings exhales an influence that enraptures the beholder, 
and creates within him an inward form of the external. 

The hills and mountains of Berkshire are now gentle and sloping in 
their lines, now wild and broken, sheltering well watered, thoroughly 
cultivated valleys, where towns and villages, famous for their beauty, 
hide among the trees ; a region of lakes, mountain torrents, glens, lovers' 
lanes, rocks, and echoes ; a region, too, where one may spend the summer 
and not die of ennui from lack of good and congenial society. 

People who go to mountain resorts expect to suffer more or less dis- 
comfort, to step out of civilization and enter primitive communities, to 
whom the world is strange, if not unknown. Berkshire, of all of them, 
is alone the place where this expectation is disappointed. One may leave 
a civilization to come here, but he enters another ; he may abandon a 
pleasant home, but he finds a new one of unalloyed charms. He escapes 
from a world that is in many respects uncongenial, and discovers in its 
neighborhood, yet separated from it, a region of the best civilized insti- 
tutions, thriving in their own soil, and at the same time deriving nour- 
ishment from foreign soils. 

Here his ideas and feelings will be as cosmopolitan as in New York or 
Boston, and the comforts of living, all things considered, many fold en- 
hanced, unless during the winter, and even then there are pleasures 
unknown to city life. The daily morning newspapers of Springfield and 
Albany are received by nine o'clock or earlier ; New York and Boston 
morning papers arrive before noon ; evening papers are recei^ ed on the 
same date ; numerous mails are in daily receipt, including Sunday. The 
facilities for telegraphing and telephoning are ample in every part of the 
county, and a dozen excellent local newspapers collect and spread the 
news. Local tradesmen are provided with an abundance and a large 
variety of the goods, the wares and the merchandise of the world. The 



THE BOOK OF BEEKSHIRE. 



central jjart of the county being but 110 miles from salt water, the food 
that is brought therefrom is always fresh and abundant. There is nothing 
in the way of nutriment, either for body or mind, that is not common in 
Berkshire and may not be had easily and cheaply. 

A journey from New York city to the southern half of the county, 
which is the portion of this famous region most sought, requires but 
four hours and a half in drawing-room cars or in first class passenger 
cars that are the tidiest and best furnished and finished ones in the 
United States. The distance is about 150 miles. From Boston the time 
is less than five hours, the distance being a little over 150 miles. Three 
lines of railway cross the region, and a line of railways extends up and 
down. At the north end is the Hoosac Tunnel route of the Fitchburg 
road; in the center the Boston & Albany; at the south end the Central 
New England and Western road, from Hartford to and across the Pough- 
keepsie bridge. From the center of the county, at Pittsfield, to the north 
end runs the Pittsfield & North Adams railroad, and towards the south 
runs the Housatonic road to Bridgeport, where connection is had with the 
New York, New Haven & Hartford road. These railway lines afford 
accommodations for travel to and from the region that make it easily 
accessible, and that make the return to the city an easy and short matter. 

No railroad in the country has taken greater pains to accommodate 
people who go to summer resorts than have been taken by the Housatonic 
road. Through cars on express trains are run to and from New York in 
about four hours and a half, and, if the traveler does not care to take the 
drawing-room car, he can ride in a car that almost seems like one, with 
its brussels carpet, toilet-room, fine upholstery and cabinet finish. He 
can leave New York in the morning and eat a noon dinner in Berkshire, 
or leave near the close of business hours and eat a late dinner or supiier 
here. The facilities for return are equally good, for he can leave Berk- 
shire at several convenient times, the last one being about 5 p. m., 
when an express ti'ain leaves, to arrive in New York about nine. Several 
express trains run both ways, and for Monday morning return a special 
one arriyes in New York about 11.45 a. m. Within five hours of this 
region, over these railroads and connecting lines, there are about ten 
millions of people, the most intellectual, the most cultivated, the most 
wealthy on the continent, and possessing the highest social develojiment, 
and from these people, are contributed those who resort to Berkshire and 
can appreciate its offerings. 

The Berkshire region has been referred to as a summer resort, but it 
is more than this. It is the only autumn resort in the United States, 



10 TUE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

takinj? no account of mere sportsmen's resorts. The seaside resorts are 
not frequented in autumn, because of the raw winds and the dreary out- 
look ; inland resorts, away from mountains, lose their attractiveness 
witli the loss of hot weather, and the visitor is no longer able to keep up 
his indulgences with comfort ; and in the mountainous regions, gener- 
ally thei-e is no autumn, except in name, and the passage from summer 
to wintry weather is rapid. But in Berkshire there is an autumn of sur- 
passing loveliness. The air may get a frosty keenness and there may be 
some cold waves, but these are only the cheap price of ruddy cheeks 
and elastic muscles, a clear brain and bountiful flow of spirits. 

In place of the dreary time that comes upon most resorts by the middle 
of September, Berkshire often gets a climate that is quite mild up to the 
middle of November, and now and then a month later. As September 
passes, the foliage begins to turn from green to brilliant and varied liues. 
It is said by travelers to be true that nowhere else in the world are such 
wonderful effects in autumn foliage coloring seen as here. As the leaves 
lose their green, the reds, scarlets, cardinals, yellows, purples, in a dozen 
shades, interspersed with evergreens, all in iufinite arrangements, con- 
front the beholder on every hand with their amazing spectacles. Every 
mountain is a huge bouquet, chameleon like under the changing sunlight. 
In October the leaves fall, coloring the very breezes into brilliance as 
they float along in irregular buoyancy, and making vast carpets, woven 
with a gigantic hand, from the richest colors. Toward the close of this, 
an eastern wind and rain will obliterate the last vestiges of the delaying 
leaves on the trees, and in a night the genii of the storm will transform 
the illuminated forest into bare limbs and twigs. 

But the scenery is by no means spoiled. The hazy-bluish browns and 
greens alternate with darker shades, and the winter snow and sleet at 
last whiten the limbs or clothe them with diamonds. A driving wmd 
will so place the snow upon the limbs that it seems at a distance as if 
some great spirit had blown his breath upon the forest and it had frozen 
there. The most striking effect of all is caused by a rain, that freezes as 
it falls ; then an icy coat is put about everything, and among the curious 
and strange results, the long, slim, white birches are bowed to earth, and 
every part of every tree is bent into graceful curves, making pictures 
that few city people ever saw, except in engravings, which, however, 
could never express the wonderful beauty of the rainbow colors made 
from the sunbeams by the refracting ice. 

Until such a time of the year Berkshire entertains guests, not only 
those who come to enjoy the country in good health, but those who come 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 11 



to find a sanitarium. Among the latter is a gentleman who has lived in 
the far South many years, where he had a home that he has abandoned 
for a home in Berkshire, declaring that his best health is realized here. 
An extract from a New York Herald editorial article expresses the dictum 
of hygienic science : " People in search of health are very eager to get to 
the mountains in summer, but ignore the hygienic properties of high level 
air in winter. Many invalids who cannot go to seaside winter resorts, and 
conclude that they must languish throughout the cold weather in their 
city homes, might do surprisingly well to try the beneficial effects of a 
winter sojourn on some of the moderate elevations of our Atlantic 
highlands." 

There is another point applicable alone to this region. One goes to 
other resorts to find himself a foreigner, as it were, and after the "'sea- 
son" is ovei", an intruder ; but he comes to Berkshire to a home. If he 
does not own a place here, still he can obtain the best of keeping at any 
time at highly attractive hotels. The making of an autumn season in 
Berkshire is due to the people who come to Lenox. In the waning of 
the summer they leave Newport and other places and take possession of 
their Berkshire homes or find entertainment at hotels. Until this was 
done it was not known by any but the permanent residents that the 
autumn season here was enjoyable ; and now the discovery of winter's 
beauties is keeping people later and later, even to the middle of January. 
So, Berkshire has become dear to a great many of the people who come 
here, because here they have established homes, built fine houses, and 
bought real landscape views, the paintings of which, in their wealth of 
beauty, would be worth thousands of dollars. One may withstand the 
allurements of all other resorts, but he capitulates to Berkshire as the 
only place choice enough for his country home. 

A New York Tribune correspondent, in 1885, wrote : "Nature certainly 
made one of her most successful efforts when this secluded and reStful 
region in Western Massachusetts was planned and brought forth. No- 
where else do little hamlets, with their white church spires pointing 
skyward, seem to nestle so cozily and contentedly among the hills ; no- 
where else do the lakes and rivers hold such flattering mirrors for the 
mountains, and nowhere else does Nature get from Jack Frost so tine a 
cloth of gold as she throws over the bosom of these hills." 

Again, it may be claimed solely for Berkshire that no other region 
offers such varied inducements to visitors, guests and new residents. 
They range from simple farm-house accommodations to hotels that are 
as delightfully agreeable homes as hotels can be, and where the fare is 



12 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

high class ; the temporary society is from that of people of quite limited 
means, who come to stay two weeks, for instance, to the elite of fashion 
and wealth, who have their homes here with all luxurious accessories. 
Old people can find seclusion and quiet ; children, isolation, where they 
will be tolerated ; brain workers, rest and recreation ; the man or woman 
of society and fashion, congenial surroundings ; houses can be hired for 
family use ; it is the place for the tourist as well as the resident — for the 
wheelman, the pedestrian, the horseback rider and tourists in carriages ; 
while it is much sought for camping out locations. One can find village 
life, with many villages to select from, or he can enjoy farm life ; he may 
pick from hotels or from private families ; he may keep house or board ; 
and he may live upon mountains and hills or in valleys. 

The roads of Berkshire have for years been known for their excellence. 
The drift gravel that is found in abundance has been freely used where 
the roads were naturally heavy with mud or sand, and the consequence 
is that everywhere— upon mountains as well as along valleys — the roads 
are smooth and hard, free from cobble stones, ruts and mud holes, and 
upon the main lines of travel as good as the roads in any pai-k in the 
country. For this reason wheelmen are numerous, and carriage driving 
general. Within a few years several towns have utilized stone-crushing 
machines, for further highway improvement. Pittsfield alone has laid 
over 20,000 square yards of macadam during the past four years. 

The manufacturing establishments that are in Berkshire are so situ- 
ated as to be in no wise offensive ; the typical factory village is nowhere 
to be found, but, on the contrary, the work-people generally live in neat 
homes. Mills are situated in narrow, deep valleys, where they are hidden 
from view. In paper manufacture Berkshire has been famous for nearly 
100 years; wood pulp was first used successfully in paper-making in 
Lee ; the quality of the correspondence papers made at Dalton and South 
Lee, and of the record papers made at Dalton and Adams, is hardly 
equaled anywhere in the world, for reasons that are peculiar to the 
location. 

The excellent advanced schools that are in Berkshire afford such 
opportunities for education, that homes, permanent and temporary, are 
sought here by many people who have young children. In Great Bar- 
rington is a well taught High School, the Sedgwick Institute for boys, 
and the Housatonic Hall School for girls ; in Stockbridge, the Williams 
Academy and Prof. Hoffman's School for young men ; in Lee, Pittsfield, 
Adams, North Adams and Williamstown, excellent High Schools — in 
the last named and beautiful historic town, are located Williams College, 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



13 



and Glen Seminary for young ladies; in South Williamstown, Greylock 
Institute; Chickering's Commercial College, Prof. J. E. Peirson's School, 
for boys fitting for college, and Miss Saulsbury's School, for young ladies, 
in Pittsfield; in North Adams, Drury Academy; and the Robbins School, 
in Norfolk, Ct. Besides good schooling for children, for wealthy people 
who are the victims of municipal .extravagance and thievery in cities, 
Berkshire has many towns where taxes are light and the rate low. 

In freedom from contagious diseases Berkshire has always been for- 
tunate ; though it is almost a suburb of dense populations, yet it has a 
seclusion and a situation off the main lines of travel, so that the intro- 
duction of disease from without is not easy. Cholera never penetrated 
the region, though it came to the outskirts. Within the region the 
germs of disease do not thrive, partly on account of the altitude and the 
dry air, and partly because the sanitary conditions are high and the pre- 
cautions prompt and prescient. Every town has a board of health, and 
several villages have sewage systems. The people understand that filth 
furnishes nourishment for disease germs, and are careful to remove it to 
harmless places. The climate is dry, cool and bracing ; the elevation of 
the country has the effect of stimulation, it accelerates the breathing and 
the circulation, and gives tone to the nervous system. The disease most 
benefited is consumption, and the registration reports show that the mor- 
tality from this disease is less in Berkshire than in any other county of the 
state, being little more than half what it is in some of the maritime coun- 
ties. For children the air is extremely favorable ; cholera infantum, the 
summer scourge of cities, is rarely seen, and other summer diseases are 
comparatively rare and mild. The temperature is two to six degrees 
lower than it is in the lower country on the east and west. 

The drinking water is every where of extreme purity ; the principal 
villages get their water in pipes from mountainous springs, and where 
this is not done each family gets water from a spring or excellent well. 
The drinking water is never a source of disease. 

Within a very few years Berkshire has been getting a reputation for 
architecture. A large portion of the houses, of course, are in the usual 
style of country architecture, but scattered among them are many beau- 
tiful buildings that will surprise city people, accustomed as they are to 
square, monotonous, roofless houses. Mrs. Mark Hopkins's million dollar 
house in Great Barrington will rank among the finest in the United 
States ; the Congregational Church there is a beauty, and contains the 
best organ on the continent, and the parsonage adjoining is excelled 
hardly anywhere. In Stockbridge, St. Paul's Church is one of the 




I. — Lake Garfield 2.— Congregational Church, Lenox. 3. — Ancient House, South 
Egremont. 4 —Sage's Ravine, Mount Washington. 5.— Plantain Pond, Mount Wash- 
ington. 



THE BOOK OF BEUKSHIBE. 



choicest ones in the country, and among notable dwelling houses are 
those of Joseph H. Choate, the Rev. Dr. Henry M. Field, the late Henry 
Ivison, Lucius Tuckerraan, Charles E. Butler, C. F. Southmayd, the 
Town Offices, and others. In Lenox beautiful and superb dwellings lie 
on every hand, in locations commanding charming views ; only a few of 
these houses can be mentioned — those of Charles Lanier, the houses of 
W. D. Sloane, Dr. R. C. Greenleaf, F. A. Schermerhorn, John E. Parsons, 
William R. Robeson, William B. Shattuck, D. W. Bishop, George West- 
inghouse, Jr., ex-Secretary Frelinghuysen, C. G. Havens, and many 
others. Of late years the old colonial style has become very much in 
vogue. The new Ti'inity Church in Lenox is notable. Dwelling house 
architecture in Pittsfield has tine representatives in W. R. Allen's house, 
W. F. Milton's house, the residence of E. Pope Sampson, and many new 
cottages of unique and pretty design for successful young business men 
have sprung up within a few years. Architect H. Neil Wilson has been 
instrumental in bringing about many changes in this regard in the Athe- 
nasum, in Mrs. Pollock's house, and many others. Governor Weston's 
house, Hon. Zenas Crane's house, and the handsome new Congregational 
Church, in Dalton, James Renfrew's house in Adams, the new Morgan 
building, the Clarke building and the Hopkins memorial building at 
Williams College, are among the notable buildings, all of which would 
be given distinction anywhere. 

The geological formation of Berkshire has been the subject of much 
controversy for many years, and has long brought to the region the best 
geologists of the country and enlisted those who lived here — Prof. Amos 
Eaton, Di'. Chester Dewey, Prof. Ebenezer Emmons, Prof. Edward Hitch- 
cock and Prof. James D. Dana. Prof. Dana began to study the rocks in 
1871, and continued with assiduity up to 1885, and he embodied a con- 
densed account of his conclusions in a paper read before the Berkshire 
Historical and Scientific Society, published in the Berkshire Courier of 
February 11, 1885. He sustains Prof. Emmons in these conclusions : 
" That this non-fossiliferous Taconic series was older than those Hudson 
river slates ; older than the lowest fossil bearing rocks of New York ; 
older than the oldest known rock of the New York Silurian, the Potsdam 
sandstone; therefore a distinct system of rocks, the Taconic System. In 
the geological series, the system, in his opinion, came in between the 
Adirondack rocks, or Archaean, and the Potsdam sandstone, the rock 
directly overlying the Archaean in Northern New York. Thus the name 
of the Taconic Mountains became of wide importance in geological 
science, for geologists abroad, as well as at home." 



16 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



Besides numerous literary, social and village improvement associa- 
tions in the towns, there are several county societies, to which it would 
be an honor to belong. The Historical and Scientific Society has done 
and is doing better work than any other county society of the kind in the 
country has done. There are three agricultural societies, one of them 
the second best in the state, and the old Berkshire, begun in 1807, is the 
pioneer in the country. The Berkshire County Bible Society was organ- 
ized in 1817, nearly the first in the country; the Berkshire and Columbia 
Missionary Society, established in 1798, was probably the earliest mis- 
sionary society organized in this country. The Berkshire Branch of the 
Woman's Board of Missions has about 1,700 members ; and there. is a 
Berkshire County Sunday School Union. The Clericus Club, organized 
by Rev. W. W. Newton of Pittsfield, and the Congregational Club, are 
among the newest county societies. 

While Berkshire has no dense population, on the other hand it is not 
so sparsely populated as to sufEer from paucity of numbers. The popu- 
lation of the county in 1885 was 74,000, and that of the principal towns, 
and those in which the visitor is interested, varies from about 14,500 to 
160. The sojourner has a choice among villages varying in size from 
hamlets to cities, and among more rural places that descend in popula- 
tion, from village suburbs to an isolated farm-house in remote regions. 

The model villages of the American continent are in Berkshire : Stock- 
bridge, Lenox, Great Barriugton, Sheffield, Williamstown, Pittsfield— 
where can the like of these be found anywhere in the New World, and 
all within 45 miles of each other ? Indeed, some of these villages are 
absolutely unique; there is only one Stockbridge, no other Lenox, — none 
like Pittsfield, and but a single Williamstown. Each have attractions 
peculiarly its own, and yet each possessing traits in common with their 
sister villages. Amid the glory of these hills and valleys, villages have 
grown that lead a vast nation in beauty, in neatness, in picturesqueness, 
and in social composition. 

As Prof. Hitchcock writes, "Where does the traveler meet in any part 
of our land with lovelier spots than Pittsfield, Lenox, Lee, Stockbridge 
and Great Barrington ? " 

Unlike other resorts where a man finds his surroundings agreeable 
wherever he is able to pay for his keeping, Berkshire is composed of 
many distinctive communities where he who enters may find himself a 
sad misfit. One seeking the quiet of Stockbridge, would be out of place 
in fashionable Lenox, and if he should mistake Lenox for Mount Wash- 
ington, Cheshire or Tyringhara, he would be in a pitiable situation. Some 



THE BOOK OF BEKIiSHIRE. 17 

idea of the peculiarities of each place is meant to be conveyed in this 
book, but after all, one may have to live here to know where he likes it 
best. He cannot toss a cent for choice among Berkshire's varieties. 

The guest will find Berkshire's hotel life most perfect — that is, 
where summer and autumn visitors are in the habit of going. There is 
no landlord here, with a vast building, bragging of its 500 or 1,500 rooms 
and who rarely comes in contact with his guests ; there is no place where 
the guests jostle each other as strangers and where they shift for them- 
selves, as in large hotels. But, on the contrary, fellow guests become 
acquaintances, associates and friends; the landlord, with perhaps an as- 
sistant, gives personal attention to their wants, and in every way they 
m-e made to feel at home, and as it were, members of one lai'ge family. 
Hotel keeping is an art that has reached a high development in Berkshire. 

The native people of Berkshire compare very favorably, indeed, with 
those of any region or city in the United States. Under good schools, 
reading habits ; leisure for study and thought, in the winter at any rate ; 
well developed electric, railway and postal communication; and under 
frequent traveling, these people, as a whole, are up with the times; 
they know what is going on in the world, they are abreast with the 
thought of the age, they live at least in comfort and often in luxury. 
The average well-to-do and wealthy people of the cities who come here, 
expecting to find a native population of country bumpkins, will be sur- 
prised in finding a large portion of the people as cosmopolitan as them- 
selves and many who are decidedly more intelligent. If the people act 
slower than city people do, the latter will be taught a lesson that if life 
is worth living, it is more worth the living when one takes time to de- 
rive the most happiness on the way. The city people who have acquired 
homes here have learned this lesson. 

The nature of the inhabitants of this region and its fitness for the 
residence of literary and of intellectual and cultivated people is attested 
by the famous people who were natives or who were nurtured here, and 
by the distinguished people who have found here a congenial atmos- 
phere. In the early days of Lenox as a resort, there came Nathaniel 
Hawthorne, Frances Anne Kemble, Henry Ward Beecher; John Morell 
left this town eventually to become Chief Justice of the Michigan 
Supreme Court. In Stockbridge, were Jonathan Edwards; Rev. Dr. H. 
M., David Dudley, Stephen D., and Cyrus W. Field; G. P. R. James'; 
Theodore Sedgwick, Mrs. Charles Sedgwick and Catherine Sedgwick; 
here the Rev. Dr. Mark Hopkins was born. In Great Barrington, there 
were notably William CuUen Bryant, the Rev. Samuel Hopkins and 



jg THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 

other members of the Hopkins family, from one of whom descended the 
Kev. Dr. Mark Hopkins, ex-president of Williams College, president of 
the American Board of Foreign Missions for over thirty years and a vig- 
orous writer on religious subjects. Sheffield is known as the native 
town of the Eev. Dr. Orville Dewey, of his sister Miss Jerusha Dewey, of 
his daughter Miss Mary E. Dewey; of President Frederick A. P. Barnard 
and of his brother Major General John G. Barnard; of Bishop Janes of 
the Methodist church; Prof. George F. Boot of Chicago, the musician; 
Judge Daniel Dewey of the Supreme Court; of Daniel Dewey Barnard, 
who was Minister to Prussia from 1849 to 1853. In New Marlboro, lived 
that stout defender of Calvinism, the Kev. Jacob Catlin. From Egre- 
mont weiit Grosvenor P. Lowrey, the New York lawyer. In Pittsfield 
were Herman Melville, Oliver Wendell Holmes; the Rev. William Allen, 
a native, afterwards president of Bowdoin College; Pittsfield is the home 
of Senator Dawes and has been the home of many distinguished politi- 
cians, judges and lawyers, among them Governor Briggs, Judges Julius 
Eockwell, James D. Colt, James M. Barker and Congressman Francis W. 
Rockwell. Governor E. D. Morgan of New York was a native of Wash- 
ington. The Rev. Dr. Barnas Sears was a native of Sandisfield, and was 
for ten years president of Brown University; "Josh Billings" lived 
and died in Lanesboro. Mrs. D. H. R. Goodale lived on Mount Washing- 
ton, where the childhood of her daughters, the poets, Elaine and Dora 
R., were passed. In Hinsdale were born Governor F. E. Warren, of 
Wyoming Territory; R. H. White, the Boston merchant; A. D. Matthews, 
Brooklyn's oldest merchant; President William E. Merriam, of Ripton 
College ; the Rev. Dr. John W. Yeomans, once president of La Fayette 
College. North Adams was for some time the home of the Rev. T. T. 
Munger. Col. T. J. Skinner, in Williamstown, was for many years Chief 
Justice of the Court of Common Pleas; Daniel N. Dewey was long a 
Probate Judge, and Charles A. Dewey, both from Sheffield stock, was a 
Judge of the Supreme Court. The mountain town of Peru has sent 
out two judges, four missionaries, besides one college president. 

The mention of these names, that come most readily to mind out of 
many more that have been or are distinguished, shows what kind of 
stock the permanent resident population of Berkshire is and some of 
the distinguished people who have found it a congenial home. Under 
each town, reference will be found made to well-known people who have 
summer and autumn homes here. 

A great gathering of the sons and daughters of Berkshire, who had 
gone into every part of the Union, was held at Pittsfield in 1844, when 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIEE. 19 

there came to the meeting in person and in spirit a multitude of Berk- 
shire people, of whom.in many ways, the nation has time and again had 
abundant reasons for being proud. Governor Briggs was president; the 
Rev. Dr. Mark Hopkins preached a sermon ; poems were composed by 
Frances Anne Kemble, Mrs. Lydia H. Sigourney, Oliver Wendell Holmes, 
William Pitt Palmer and the Rev. Dr. William Allen. The oration was 
delivered by the Hon. Joshua A. Spencer of Oneida County, X. Y. ; and 
speeches and sentiments were given by Drake Mills, New York; Judge 
Charles A.Dewey, Northampton ; Thomas Allen, St. Louis ; Theodore Sedg- 
wick, New York ; the tragedian , Macready ; the Rev. Dr. Heman Humphrey, 
president of Amherst College; the Rev. Dr. Orville Dewey, New York; 
Prof. Chester A. Dewey, Rochester, N. Y., ; Josiah Quincy, New Hamp- 
shire ; David Dudley Field, and others. The assemblage was made up of 
a large number of people who were born in Berkshire or had spent a con- 
siderable portion of their lives here, among them being many distin- 
guished people. 

It need not be surprising, then, that the county abounds in literary 
and social clubs, in village improvement associations and in public and 
private libraries. The face of nature here is a stimulus to thought, to the 
imagination, to the higher feelings and emotions. If Berkshire renews 
the vitality of the tired worker who seeks recreation, so it creates and 
strengthens genius, talent and proficiency. In other resorts there is 
nothing beneath the outward show to hold the visitor after the effect 
becomes monotonous; but beneath the forms of beauty and majesty and 
harmony, of which one here never tires, there is something that consti- 
tutes an abiding place, a Promised Land, a fixed country home, 

"For Childhood's opening bloom, 

For sportive Youth to stray in, 
For Manhood to enjoy its strength, 

And Age to wear away in." 



XHE FUTURE OF BERKSHIRE. 

The future of no part of the country is more apparent than that of 
Berkshire. While other resorts see only a horde of sight-seers, a stream 
of humanity that hurries along as if in a public street, Berkshire, while 
entertaining transients, will be the great country home of the wealthy 
and cultivated people of New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Albany, Hart- 
ford, New Haven and the East. The tendency this way has been ap- 



20 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



parent for many years, but never so much as lately. The price of land 
for agricultural purposes is worth on the average hardly $50 an acre; 
but where the site commands a fine view or has a social value, the price 
has already gone up to hundreds of dollars an acre, and the time will 
come when thousands will be the measure of value outside of villages, as 
it is now within them. Within the distance of a day's ride on a railway, 
the 10,000,000 people of the present day, who will probably double their 
number in thirty years, are sending here increasing numbers of country 
home seekers every year, while the visitors of a transient character are 
coming more than ever before to stay a short time in one place or to 
make a tour of the region. Those now living may not live to see the 
time, but that time is surely coming when the sides and tops of every 
hill and mountain here and the best valley locations will all be taken up 
with the houses of the people to whom reference has been made. With 
the influx of this population comes the development of the aesthetic 
emotions in the beauty that is purchased by wealth and the sentiments 
that arise from it, and a development of the region itself, in making its 
treasures more accessible and in converting it into a vast inhabited park, 
charming the senses, invigorating the health, prompting thought aud 
imagination, a retiring place for the weary and a pleasure ground for ap- 
preciative thousands. Every year marks an increase in the summer 
home-making of the city cousin in the grand old Hills of Berkshire. 




t*,iv,.^r" ^^j#i 



I^KNOX. 




T is a conspicuous feature of Berkshire towns 
that though they all owe a kinship to Berk- 
shire characteristics, yet they have differen- 
tiated into individualities. Lenox, Stock- 
bridge, Great Barrington, Williamstowu, 
Pittsfield, Lee, Sheffield, Mount Washington, 
New Marlboro and Egremont will bear as 
strong contrasts among each other in nature 
and in society as each will bear with the 
world external to Berkshire, and yet all are 
distinctively Berkshire towns in their com- 
position. This unlikeness of parts in a gen- 
eral union of underlying constitution entitles 
Berkshire to great distinction as a resort, 
for the peculiarity is not to be found else- 
where. The lavish hand of nature has accomplished this singularity 
for the aspect of the country ; and a strong local feeling, fostered 
by town government and a high spirit of freedom and independence, 
and the inborn talent and capability of the inhabitants, have been 
the means of differentiating the social characteristics. In this general 
movement Lenox bears the impress of an external hand more than any 
other town. It is now owned and regulated principally by people who 
migrate to it for a portion of the year; the native influence has not been 
extinguished, perhaps, but it is all subservient to the new comers. 
Hence Lenox has been moulded into one of the most singular of the 
Berkshire towns, and it has grown into a resort that is quite flttingly 
termed ''The Inland Newport." People of wealth and fashion flock to 
it in the summer, aod their numbers increase in the autumn, beginning 
about the 1st of September, when the Newport season wanes and when 
many of the people who have been there in the summer travel this way 
with their costly turnouts to take possession of their Berkshire homes in 
Lenox or find entertainment at Curtis' s Hotel. But Lenox never can 
attain a social character that will in the least obscure the work of nature. 
Here, as in neighboring towns, the beautiful and the picturesque, after 



22 THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIBE. 

types of their own, admit no rivals. The lap of earth spreads out in an 
original phase of Berkshire's common beauty, and provokes the pro- 
foundest admiration that never tires. 

The Eakly Visitors. 

No civilized people can behold Lenox without coveting an incessant 
inspiration of the spirit of its landscape. It lay in the nature of things 
that man could not once behold it without renewing the acquaintance, 
until frequency must end in possession. So Lenox has come to be the 
chief country home resort of the continent, and is rapidly developing in 
the same tendency. Though the town never lay on any great thorough- 
fare, yet, being the shire town from 1787 to 1871, it was early the destina- 
tion of many people who came from a distance beyond the county. Here 
came the judges of the State courts and many distinguished lawyers and 
some witnesses and litigants from all over New England and New York, 
so that the town, let it once be noised about as a thing of beauty and 
worthy of resort, would be called to mind by many people scattered over 
the East as fulfilling all that was said in its praise. An influential part 
of the public was thus made familiar with the town and prepared to ele- 
vate it to renown, if not to visit it for pleasure. 

The discoverer of Lenox was Charles Sedgwick; that is, he was the 
first discoverer to make his discovery known. Through his culture he 
appreciated the natural aspects of the town, and through his wide ac- 
quaintance he made them known to many people of taste and intelli- 
gence, who in turn noised abroad the delightful character of the region. 
Mr. Sedgwick moved to Lenox in 1821, a time that marks the first coming 
of visitors; yet it is doubtful that the very first visitors came through his 
influence. As near as memory serves the oldest inhabitants, the first 
people to come and stay during the summer were the widow and chil- 
dren of the Eev. Samuel Munson, who was pastor of the Congregational 
church from 1770 to 1793. They were here, it is thought, somewhere 
between 1820 and 1825. About that time, also, the Misses Merritt, of 
New York, came to stay during the summer; they were amateur artists, 
and, as they remained season after season, they made many sketches of 
scenery, which they took to New York — so many that one room in their 
house there was called " Lenox," where their friends were enthusias- 
tically shown pictures of scenes in their summer home. 

But Charles Sedgwick soon brought greater numbers of people this 
way, and before long cooperating causes brought this charming town to 
the notice of the whole country. The Lenox Academy, incorporated in 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



9R 



1803, cjraduatecl pupils that returned in after years; Mrs. Charles Sedg- 
wick established a school for girls that brought many noted people to 
town; and the residence of Catherine M. Sedgwick, begun in 1831, gave 
an immense impetus to the movement. 

Influence of the Lenox Academy. 
The Lenox Academy has been a very famous institution. It has had 
many excellent principals, among them being Matthew H. Buckham, 
president of the University of Vermont; and among the many men of 
distinction who have been pupils here were the Rev. Dr. Mark Hopkins, 
Judge Henry W. Bishop, the Eev. Dr. Henry M. Field, Prof. Chas. A Joy, 
Anson Jones, once president of Texas, Charles Sedgwick, Samuel R- 
Betts, who was a United States district court judge, and a long list of 
others. Sometime in the '70's the school was suspended, but in Sep- 
tember, 1880, Prof. H. H. Ballard, an accomplished scholar, was the 
principal. In 1875 he organized here a school scientific society for the 
study of natural history, in connection with the Lenox High School. 
This was given the name of the Agassiz Association in 1880, and an invi- 
tation from Prof. Ballard was published in the St. Nicholas Magazine to 
young people to organize branches on the same plan as the parent soci- 
ety. The idea spread rapidly and took with both young and old, so that 
within a short time (1886) there were classes in nearly every State and 
Territory in the Union, embracing many thousands of members. Three 
new branches are organizing every week, on the average. Of this asso- 
ciation, Science says, editorially : " The conductors of these enterprises 
have done something permanent and effectual towards spreading a taste 
for self-culture in an almost new sense." A hand-book of this associa- 
tion may be got from Prof. Ballard, now the libi-arian of the Pittsfield 
Athenaeum. It is to this academy, now eighty-three years old, and its 
pupils, that Lenox owes much of the fame that has gone abroad. The 
school is now of the past, however, and the old academy building on the 
Main street is an interesting though now tenantless land-mark of the 
town, and always attractive to the eye of visitors — a connectmg link of 
golden memories between the past and present. 

The Influence of Catherine M. Sedgwick. 

The residence of Catherine M. Sedgwick in Lenox at once made the 

town known to all the reading, literary, and leading people of the day. 

Here Han-iet Martineau visited her several times, the last time being in 

1835. The social features of Lenox .under the reign of Miss Sedgwick 



24 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIBE. 

are feelingly expressed by Fanny Kemble, " Our Fanny," as Miss Sedg- 
wick has called her: "Of the society which gathered summer after 
summer to the pleasant hill region, the seat of her family home, at- 
tracted thither even more by the delightful intercourse of its various 
gifted members than by the pure air and fine scenery of Berkshire, Miss 
Sedgwick was the center and soul, dispensing the most graceful hos- 
pitality and doing the honors of her beautiful hills and valleys to her 
visitors with an unwearied kindliness and courtesy that must forever 
have combined in their memories the most delightful social intercourse 
with the most charming natural scenery." The last time that Miss Sedg- 
wick was in Lenox was in the spring of 1863. 

In Lenox, Miss Sedgwick wrote the last of her works: " Live and Let 
Live;" "Home;" "The Morals of Manners;" "The Boy of Mount 
Khigi," the scene of which lies on the mountain in the northwestern 
part of Salisbury, Ct. ; and "Married or Single." 

Miss Sedgwick took unbounded pride in the preeminent beauty of 
Berkshire. Referring to this, the Editor's Easy Chair of Harper's Maga- 
zine for October, 1867, says: " If some lover of the coast, some devotee 
of the ocean, looked doubtingly upon the pine sheeted hillsides as too 
rigid and monotonous, she knew where to take him to silence his scepti- 
cism by one wide and sufficing glimpse of inland splendor. Nor were her 
pride and confidence misplaced. Returning, haply, after the lapse of 
years, the lover of the sea, who had been unjust to the real charms of 
the superb Berkshire landscape, recanted wholly as he stood looking 
from the heights of Lenox southward over the lovely lake [Mahkeenac] 
to Monument Mountain, and the soft smooth outline of Taconic in the 
delicate heaven further away. There was no sense of imprisonment in 
the hills, no feeling of oppression, and as his eye turned northward to 
the tranquil dignity of Greylock, it was only to confess that neither 
Bryant, nor Hawthorne, nor Miss Sedgwick, nor Herman Melville, all of 
whom had made their homes in Berkshire, had too warmly praised the 
beauty or described the character of its landscape." Miss Sedgwick's 
remains were entombed in the earthly paradise she loved so well — in a 
portion of it set apart for a cemetery, in Stockbridge. The house occupied 
by Miss Sedgwick, and Charles Sedgwick, who owned it, is on Kemble 
street, and is owned by Mrs. Elizabeth Sedgwick Rackemann, who, with 
her family, is to occupy it in the future, after letting it for several years. 
The influence of Miss Sedgwick upon Lenox is incalculable; she brought 
hither many of the first people of the land, and founded here a literary 
MiBadquarters that endured for many years. 



the book of berkshike. !'•-> 

Influence of Mrs. Charles Sedgwick's School. 

Another source of Lenox's fame was Mrs. Charles Sedgwick's school. 
She was of the Northampton Dwight family, and was a highly cultured 
woman with a wide and distinguished acquaintance. In 1828 she re- 
ceived into her house a few pupils to educate with her own, and this 
was the beginning of the celebrated school that closed only with her life 
in 1864. She wrote sevei'al books for children, among them " The Beati- 
tudes," and she contributed to periodical publications. Her school was 
regarded as one of the best, if not the best, in the United States for 
years for the education of girls and young women; and her pupils were 
accordingly drawn from the wealthy and cultivated people of the day. 
Among the few early pupils that are remembered were Charlotte Cush- 
man, Harriet G. Hosmer, Lucy Marcy, daughter of Governor Marcy, the 
wife of Chief Justice Brigham, of the Superior Court, Lydia Saltonstall, 
of Salem; Maria Cummings, author of "The Lam]3ligliter;" a daugh- 
ter of John Van Buren ; daughters of Weyman Crow, of St. Louis ; 
Hattie Bellows, of Bellows Falls, Vt. ; Alice Delano, Carrie White, 
Carrie Train. There were eighteen or twenty pupils in all, and their 
parents, relatives and friends often came to the town to visit them, to 
find that the town itself was so rich in natural charms that it must be 
revisited again and again. So came Governor Marcy, John Yan Buren 
and other distinguished men. Lady Churchill, wife of the late secre- 
tary for India, was formerly one of Mrs. Sedgwick's pupils as Miss 
Jerome, of New York. 

The Residence of Fanny Kemble. 
Miss Sedgwick had not long been living in Lenox after 1833, the time 
when Frances Anne Kemble first came to this country, before she in- 
duced her to come to Lenox. The great actress has said that she found 
Miss Sedgwick her first friend in this country. Mrs. Kemble came, she 
saw, she was conquered. She worshiped the matchless, outspread, lav- 
ish beauties of natui-e that she saw here, and annually came to revel in 
their delights. For years she stayed at Curtis' s Hotel, but finally 
bought a house that she called " The Perch," situated on Kemble street. 
To have Mrs. Kemble at any place in those days was to distinguish it 
above all others in the United States ; where she went, the wealth and 
culture of the country must also go, and when it was known that sbe had 
found a charming summer country home in Lenox, the town got its first 
decided start as a summer resort. Here Mrs. Kemble came off and on 
for about thirty years. She is spoken of by Miss Sedgwick in a letter of 



26 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

November 16, 1861, as knitting garments for soldiers. Finally Mrs. Kem- 
ble sold her house, the one now owned by Mrs. Thomson, and after liv- 
ing at the Kneeland place, "Fairlawn," which she hired, and boarding 
at the hotel for several years, she returned to England. Recent reports 
have been to the effect that she had talked of returning to this country, 
to pass the remainder of her days, but these lack verification. If she 
were to be buried in the village graveyard, she once said, "I will not 
rise to trouble any one if they will let me sleep there. I will ask only to 
be permitted once in a while to raise my head and look out upon this 
glorious scene." Mrs. Kemble's cultivated imagination was in harmony 
in Lenox with its natural and social environment, and it is no wonder 
that her enthusiasm over the town should have endured so long. 

Mrs. Kemble thus writes of the views from her house: " Immediately 
sloping before me, the green hillside, on the summit of which stands the 
house I am inhabiting, sinks softly down to a small valley, filled with 
thick rich wood, in the center of which a jewel-like lake lies gleaming. 
Beyond this valley the hills lie, one above another to the horizon, where 
they scoop the sky with a broken, irregular outline that the eye dwells 
upon with ever new delight as its colors glow and vary with the ascend- 
ing and descending sunlight, and all the shadowy procession of the 
clouds. In one direction this undulating line of distance is over-topped 
by a considerable mountain with a fine, jagged crest, and ever since 
early morning troops of clouds and wandering showers of rain and the 
all-prevailing sunbeams have chased each other over the wooded slopes 
and down into the dark hollow where the laKe lies sleeping, making a 
pageant far finer than the one Prospero raised for Ferdinand and Mir- 
anda on his desert island." 

Again Mrs. Kemble describes a scene: " The day is bright and breezy 
and full of shifting lights and shadows playing over a landscape that 
combines every variety of beauty — valleys, in the hollows of which lie 
small lakes glittering like sapphires; uplands, clothed with grain fields 
and orchards, and studded with farm houses, each the center of its own 
free domain ; hills, clothed from base to brow with every variety of 
forest tree ; the woods, some wild, some tangled and all but impenetra- 
ble, others clear of underbrush, shady, moss carpeted and sun checkered; 
noble masses of granite rock, great shafts of marble, clear mountain 
brooks; and a full, free, flowing, sparkling river; — all this under a cloud 
varied sky, such as generally canopies mountain districts, the sunset 
glories of which are often magnificent." Mrs. Kemble has published 
three volumes of autobiography and recollections, and a volume of 



THE BOOK OF BEBKSHIKE. 27 



poems, among which may be found "Lines Addressed to Young Gen- 
tlemen Leaving Lenox Academy," and the poem read at the Berkshire 
Jubilee in 1814. The village clock in the tower of the Congregational 
church, on the hill, was a gift of Miss Kemble, and is the more prized 
on that account as the years it ticks away pass by. 

Residence of Henky Ward Beechee. 

The late Rev. Henry Ward Beecher came here about 1853, and bought 
a house and several acres on a hill towards Lee, since called Beecher 
Hill. General John F. Rathbone now owns the place, and the old house 
has been moved to another site and is now occupied by his farmer. The 
effect of such a region as Berkshire upon Mr. Beecher's imagination and 
feeling can well be imagined. His whole soul went into his adoration, 
and his enthusiasm was boundless. Berkshire was too fine a place to be 
absent from an unnecessary moment, and so often did Mr. Beecher come 
here that his congregation in Brooklyn stood in actual fear that he 
would abandon his church and pass the remainder of his life in Lenox. 
The members of his church bestirred themselves, and at last prevailed 
upon him to accept a country home in Peekskill after he had spent a few 
seasons here. Mr. Beecher's Berkshire inspiration found expression in 
several of his letters, republished as " Star Papers." He speaks of 
Lenox as " known for the singular purity and exhilarating effects of its 
air and for the beauty of its scenery." " The endless variety of such a 
country never ceases to astonish and please. At every ten steps the 
aspect changes ; every variation of the atmosphere, and therefore every 
hour of the day, produces new effects. It is everlasting company to 
you." He wrote in admiration of the trees of Lenox, of which there 
are 175 to 200 kinds; of the restful effect of the surroundings, and of the 
ministering influence of nature here toward happiness. 

" This is perfect rest," he wrote. " The air is full of birds' notes, of 
insects' hum, of the barn-yard clack of hens and peeping chickens ; the 
eye is full of noble outlined hills, of meadow growing trees; of grass 
glancing with light shot from a million dew drops, and of the great 
heavenly arch, unstained with cloud, from side to side without a mote or 
film, filled with silent, golden ether, which surely descends on such a 
morning as this from the very hills of heaven." 

Again Mr. Beecher wrote of a morning: "On such a glorious morning 
of a perfect day as this, when all the smoky haze has gone from the 
horizon, when the sun comes up fresh and clear and will go down unred- 
dened by vapor, the mountains come back from their hiding, and I wan- 



28 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



der forth, wondering liow there should be sorrow in the world. * * * 
Each hour is a perfect hour, clear, full and unsated. It is the joy of be- 
ing alive. * * * Such days are let down from heaven." 

Nathaniel Hawthorne. 

Here, too, came Nathaniel Hawthorne, in 1850, and occupied a house 
on the slope north of Lake Mahkeenac, in the edge of Stockbridge, now 
owned by W. A. Tappan and generally known as the Hawthorne place. 
Herman Melville came down from Pittsfield, his frequent visitor. G. P. 
K. James came occasionally from Stockbridge, and Fanny Kemble was 
often at the house. She was a daring horsewoman, and it is said that 
she once rode a horse to the very summit of Monument Mountain, a 
most courageous feat. Julian Hawthorne, then a small boy, calls to 
mind a day when she rode to the house in the saddle, and, holding him 
before her, gave him a gallop up and down the road. 

Mr. Hawthorne came here to get from Berkshire what all weary and 
over-worked men can have for the coming after — recuperation. The 
great novelist was soon able to work, and one of his greatest efforts, 
after his " Scarlet Letter," was written in this little red house — "The 
House of the Seven Gables." Mrs. Hawthorne, in describing the sur- 
roundings, uses this language: " Sit down upon the couch, and you will 
see such a landscape out of the window as will charm perpetually; for 
the motion of light and shadow among the mountains and on the lake 
varies the scene all the time. 

The effect of living here upon Hawthorne is told in his own words: 
"After such a winter and spring as I have passed, of tranquil and com- 
plete joy, with mountain air and outlines to live upon." 

Hawthorne left Lenox late in the autumn of 1851, after writing "The 
Wonder Book," many of the events in which had a reality in Lenox, and 
planning and preparing his materials for " The Blithedale Komance." In 
commenting on the literary work in Lenox, Julian Hawthorne writes : 
"Lenox was one of those places where a man might be supposed to 
write because the beauty around him moved him to expression." The 
old desk on which much of his writing in Lenox was penned, is now in 
the Pittsfield Berkshire Athenaeum Museum. 

Curtis' s Hotel and Its Guests. 
An important feature of Lenox for many years has been Curtis's 
Hotel. The front portion of the building was erected in 1820 and called 
the Berkshire Coffee House, designed for the accommodation of judges. 



THE BOOK OF BEEKSniEE. 29 



lawyers and others coming to court. In 1833 William O. Curtis came 
from a farm in Stockbridge to Lenox, and after some time was engaged in 
staging between here and Pittsfield and in the livery business till 1853, 
when he bought this hotel. At the time Lenox was already a popular 
resort for people who were choice in their preference, and under Mr. 
Curtis' s management the house, in the course of time, gained a reputa- 
tion and a character of the very highest order. In short, such entertain- 
ment here has long been famous, and many are the people, who know 
what the best public house entertainment throughout the world is, who 
can indorse the fact. Mr. Curtis's son, William D. Curtis, has for sev- 
eral years been associated with him, and, indeed, has borne the principal 
duties of management, besides constantly looking after the renting of 
the many cottages in town for the owners, and being a general agent for 
doing all sorts of business transactions for people who do not reside in 
town all the time. William O. Curtis has many interesting reminiscences 
of the noted people who have been at his house or lived elsewhere in 
town during the fifty-three years of his residence here. He taught many 
of the pupils of Mrs. Charles Sedgwick's school how to ride horseback 
when he was a young man, and accompanied them many a mile over the 
delightful roads of Lenox and vicinity. He tells of the innocent frolics 
of school girls, since distinguished, and calls to mind numerous recol- 
lections of Fanny Kemble. He spent days and days with the great 
actress in driving around the country or in fishing. Indeed, a volume 
would be required to specify all that Mr. Curtis can call to mind about 
his noted guests. But, after all, the best informed person in Lenox 
about Lenox affairs and traditions is William D. Curtis, who has stowed 
away a vast amount of information in orderly fashion about the inhabi- 
tants of the town, past and present, the drives for many miles around, 
and everything that pertains to the town. 

The old hotel had long been too small for the demands that were made 
upon its space, until, in 1884, extensive additions and repairs were made, 
and the whole house was put in the best condition. There was built a 
brick addition, double the size of the original hotel, three stories high, 
with attic and cellar. The dining-room is the best lighted and most 
cheerful one to be found in a hotel, with a seating capacity of about 225. 
The heat in cool weather comes from fire-places, of which there are many 
in the house, or from steam; the lighting is done with gas; and an elec- 
tric bell system extends through the whole house. Each floor is pro- 
vided with several Brighton water closets in a room perfectly secluded 
from other rooms, and all the plumbing of the house is of fine and in- 



30 THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIKE. 

telligent workmanship. There are three stairways between floors. 
There are several private parlors; and many of the other rooms are 
so made as to be used en suite, if so desired. All walls are of brick, 
the floors are double, and hot and cold water comes to one place on each 
floor, from which place it is carried to rooms. No sewer pipes run into 
living rooms. The ventilation of the house on every floor is faultless. 

In one respect, the rooms become better as one ascends to the upper 
floor, and that is in the views of the beauties of nature with which 
Lenox has been so bountifvilly supplied by a prodigal hand. The most 
charming views are obtained from the attic story; the range of vision 
extends as far as the Dome on the south, the West Stockbridge mount- 
ains on the west, Gi'eylock on the north, and the distant mountain tops 
where begins the eastern slope of the valley. The emotional and imagin- 
ative soul can revel in the perception of cottages, lakes and woodland, 
mountain, valley, glade and hill, that make Lenox and her surroundings 
such a paradise. In the past few years this plan of "cottaging" has 
come to be quite popular in Lenox. The gentleman hires a cottage — 
practically a large house already furnished — in the village, and the family 
therein enjoy all the privacy and comfort of their own home. Their 
meals are taken at the hotel. By this means they have the advantage of 
the society of friends whom they may meet at the hotel, while at the 
same time they are relieved of all the care of an establishment of their 
own — the worry over details of house management and servants. During 
the past season a larger number of people enjoyed this phase of Lenox 
life than ever before in the history of the famous resort. 

The table of Curtis' s Hotel has long been famous for its excellence, 
and the attendance throughout the house is the most painstaking. The 
Messrs. Curtis have about 250 guests at the height of the season — Octo- 
ber 1st. The hotel is supplied with vegetables from Mr. Curtis's three- 
acre vegetable garden on his large farm, not far from the village, and 
with milk, cream and butter from the choicest dairy. The proprietors 
own a large livery stable, in which sixty to seventy horses and many 
vehicles of all kinds are kept for the uses of the guests and the public in 
general as well. 

The hotel has had so many guests of more than common note that 
probably twenty-five pages of this book could not contain their names. 
If, as is maintained by some scientists, the actinic rays of the sun im- 
press our photographs, though unseen, upon the surfaces to which the 
rays are reflected from our faces and forms, what a remarkable array of 
invisible pictures must be spread out upon the walls of the old hotel, — 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIKE. 31 

the pictures of the chief justices and judges of the supreme and supe- 
rior courts for many years, the talented lawyers from all parts of the 
country who practiced before them, Chief Justice Shaw, Governor An- 
drew, John Van Buren, Governor Marcy, of New York, Fanny Kemble, 
Charlotte Cushman, Henry Ward Beecher, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Cath- 
erine Sedgwick, Horace Greeley, Dr. Channing, and all the others. 

The registers of the hotel are a treasure of autograph signatures of 
noted people who have been here, most of them as visitors of the town. 
In the register of 1857 are the names of Edwards Pierrepont, Fanny 
Kemble; Captain, later Commodore, Inman, of the United States navy; 
Harriet G. Hosmer; Horace Gray, Jr., now a judge of the United States 
supreme court; Cassius M. Clay, John Jacob Astor; George S. Boutwell, 
President Grant's Secretary of the Treasury; Chief Justice Shaw, and, 
most conspicuous of all, the name of James Fiske, Jr., whose frequent 
signatures for several years were made with his dashing pen when he 
stayed here while meeting his various peddlers. During the few subse- 
quent years are the names of Mr. and Mrs. James Ticknor Fields ; the 
Eev. Dr. George P. Fisher, professor in Yale College; Parke Godwin, 
Horace E. Scudder, Bret Harte, John A. Andrew; C .B. Dahlgren, of the 
United States navy; Mrs. Ledyard, mother of the African traveler, and 
so on, with many more. About 1836 Judge David Davis studied law with 
Judge Bishop, and subsequently married a daughter of Judge Walker, 
of this town. 

To this hotel have been Joseph Pulitzer, editor of the New York 
World ; the late Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, Secretary of the Treasury; 
General McClellan, Millard Fillmore, Jenny Lind, James Russell Lowell, 
Epes Sargent, Mrs. Mowatt, the actress. The Rev. Dr. W. E. Channing 
delivered an address in town on August 1, 1842, anniversary of the West 
Indian emancipation, his last public address; and the day before he left 
town he had a long ride to Mount Washington, with William O. Curtis 
for driver. On his way to Vermont, where he died a few days there- 
after, Mr. Curtis drove the team that took him as far as Williamstown. 
Dr. Channing came here for his health, and, in endeavoring to get it, he 
saw so much of the country that he wrote to a friend: " We enjoy our 
life here greatly. The country is inexhaustible in pleasant excursions." 
Mr. Curtis calls to mind a memorable time when Kossuth came to his 
hotel, drawn to town by the Sedgwicks. He was then the lion of the 
nation, and that he should come here was reason for thinking that Lenox 
must be a remarkable place. And so it is ! One evening there was dan- 
cing at the hotel in honor of Kossuth, and in the distinguished company 



32 THE BOOK OF BEEKSUIRE. 

were Catherine M. Sedgwick, Charles Sedgwick, Judge Bishop, and 
Fanny Kemble. While a guest at this hotel, Charles Sumner courted his 
wife, the widow Hooper, who was living in a neighboring house. Sir 
Edward Thornton, once British minister, has been here, and in 18S3 here 
came Sir Sidney and Lady Wateriow, Lord Carrington, and the Earl of 
Cork and Orrery. 

A good idea of who the guests are that now come to Curtis's Hotel 
may be formed by the stranger from these names of people who have 
been here within recent years: Sir Lionel Sackville West, British minis- 
ter; Horace Helyar and family, British legation; Th. Eoustan, French 
minister; B. Lovenorn, Danish minister; M. Eeuterskiold, Swedish min- 
ister; A. Iswolsky, Eussian legation; Count Gyldenstolpe, German lega- 
tion; ex-President Chester A. Arthur; Admiral Jouett, United States 
navy. Among the many well-known families represented are the follow- 
ing in New York: Schermerhorn, Astor, Webb, Leavitt, Winthrop, 
Iselin, Eoosevelt, Frelinghuysen, Tompkins, Jones, Barclay, Kane, 
Crocker, Potter, Aspinwall, Goelet, Brown, Thorne, Stuyvesant, Van 
"Nest, Folsom, Harriman, Godkin, Parsons, Newbold, Lanier, Barnes, 
Sands,Bradford, Lawrence, Ingraham, Ledyard, Eives, Harper, Pulitzer, 
Dehon, Bartlett, Tailer, Draper, Chapin, Livermore, Trevor, Egleston, 
Delafield, Sloane, Marie, Johnson, Kneeland, MoUer, Van Auken, Collier, 
Haven, Warren, Bouvier, Carey, Livingston, Vanderbilt, Westinghouse, 
Mrs. ex-President Cleveland. In Boston: Shaw, Hunniwell, Perkins, Sar- 
gent, Brooks, Meyer, Lee, Brimmer, Higginson, Wharton, Otis, Apple- 
ton, Saltoustall, Endicott, Armory, Winthrop, Minot, Sears, Lawrence, 
Curtis, Thayer, Silsbee, Gray, Eotch, Adams, Kuhn, Beebe, Chadwick, 
etc. In Philadelphia: Eogers, Biddle, Mason, Meigs, Struthers, Devereux, 
Adams, etc. In Troy: Green, Griswold, Ogdeu, Warren, Burden, etc. 

The First Country Homes for City People. 
In the establishment of country homes in Lenox of people from cities, 
the pioneer is thought to have been Mrs. Sarah G. Lee, of New Orleans, 
who bought a home here about 1837; John Brown came and built the 
house subsequently bought by Fanny Kemble, in 1840. Within a few 
years, before 1850, came at brief intervals Samuel G. Ward about 1843, 
Wickham Hoffmann, Ogden Haggerty in 1845, E. J. Woolsey and William 
H. Aspinwall, all of New York, and Eussell S. Cook, of Boston. Ed- 
wards Pierrepont, who had been here for many seasons, finally bought 
property, and so did his father-iu-law, Mr. Willoughby. William A. 
Tappan, of Boston, was also one of the early comers to buy a home. 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIBE. 33 



As long ago as 1844, Barber's history of Massachusetts towns thus re- 
fers to Lenox: "The refined state of society in this place, the fine 
mountain air and scenery, and the superior accommodations at the 
hotel, all render Lenox a most desirable place of resort during the warm 
season." But earlier than this, in the first quarter of the century, Prof. 
Silliman, in his tour from Hartford to Quebec, speaks of Lenox as "a 
town of uncommon beauty. Lenox has fine mountain air, and has 
equally fine mountain scenery. Indeed, it is one of the prettiest of our 
inland towns, and, even in the view of an European traveler, it would 
appear like a gem among the mountains." 

Full List of Homes. 

The many homes of the people who have sought Lenox for its beauties 
and society, will now be briefly mentioned and located as well as can be 
by taking them in order, beginning at the center of the village and going 
out on each of the various streets that radiate therefrom. 

The Egleston house, opposite the hotel, was built about 1790 by the 
grandfather of the present owner for the former's father-in-law, General 
Paterson. It has had the successive ownership of Judge Bishop, Edwards 
Pierrepont, and Thomas Egleston, and is now owned by a son of the last 
named, Thomas Egleston, who spends the season here. The house has 
been considerably repaired and overhauled. 

Next beyond, the house that Mrs. Lee, the pioneer, built, is now owned 
by Mrs. Charles Kneeland, of New York, entirely remodeled, and 
called " Fairlawn." 

Continuing down West street, on the same side we come to the 
"Cushman Villa," built about 1860 by Mrs. F. R. Beck, of New York, 
who owned and occupied it till her death. It was bought, about 1875, by 
Charlotte Cushman, who died soon after. It was then sold to Emma 
Stebbins, the sculptor, and after her death it passed into the hands of 
her sisters, Mrs. Garland and Mrs. Fleming, both of New York, and Mrs. 
F. R. Tilton, whose husband is an artist in Rome. It is occupied at vari- 
ous times by the owners. 

The Judge Bishop house, on the West street corner, opposite the 
Egleston house, built. about 1855, is owned by his son, H. W. Bishop, 
of Chicago, and is now occupied by J. L. Barclay, of New York. Mr. 
Bishop has just built a summer home at Pittsfield. 

The house beyond, owned by Miss Helen Parish, of New York, and 
lately remodeled by her, was built about 1860 by the late county treas- 
urer, George J. Tucker. Miss Parish comes here every summer. 



34 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIKE. 



The Hooper house, built about 1865 by Miss Alice Hooper, of Boston, 
is now owned by her sister, Mrs. T. K. Lothrop, of Boston, and is rented 
for several years to John T. Williams, of New York. 

"The Elms," on the south side of West street, owned by W. R. Eobe- 
son, from Boston, was obtained from Prof. Salisbury, of Yale College, 
who bought it from William Ellery Sedgwick, the builder of the house 
about 1855, and a permanent resident while he lived here. Mr. Eobeson 
lives in town about half the year, and has a taxable residence here. 

The house of William B. Shattuck, of New York, is an exceedingly 
fine one, on the south side of West street. The first house built on the 
place dates early in the century. The property was bought about 1865 
by Dr. E. J. Dunning, of New York, who sold to Mr. Shattuck in 1883. 
The present owner, who is a season resident, spent about $50,000 on the 
place in 1885 in building a fine new house, and in providing such belong- 
ings as a bowling alley, tennis court, and so on. 

We now come to houses at the farther end of West street and around 
the north end of Lake Mahkeenac. Here Henry A. Barclay, of New 
York, has his " Bonnie Brae," where he built a fine house in 1885. His 
stable is considered the best in town. From this house and the others 
in this part of the town the outlook is most enchanting. 

Miss Cecile Bristed, of New York, who had often been to Lenox, built 
a pretty cottage at the base of Bald Head Mountain in 1885, and called 
the place "The Orchard." Miss Bristed is now Mrs. S. W. Griffeth. 

"Lakeside," on Lake Mahkeenac, was owned by Charles Astor Bristed, 
and, since his death, by his widow. The hovise was burned in 1885. 

Samuel G. Ward, of New York, owns " Oakswood," where he built a 
house about 1878, after being absent from, town for several years. It 
is a beautiful place, with a fine oak grove back of the house. 

George Higginson, Jr., from Boston, who is a permanent resident and 
lives here nearly all the year, owns a place with an enchanting outlook, 
which he bought about 1860. His land extends down to Lake Mahkeenac. 

The "Tanglewood" of the late Mrs. Caroline Tappan, of Boston, is 
near the Hawthorne House. She came here before 1850. The property 
is now the summer home of Miss Mary Tappan. 

Across the way is a little red house, formerly occupied by Hawthorne, 
and now owned by William A. Tappan, from Boston, who came to Lenox 
before 1850, and who lives here throughout the whole year. Stockbridge 
people are very particular to have it known that the house is in their 
town; however, it is a Lenox house in everything but the accident of a 
town boundary. Few visitors are allowed to inspect the cottage. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 35 



Near the lake, William S. Bullard, of Boston, has his " Highwood," 
which he bought from S. G. Ward about 1860. 

We return to the hotel now, and proceed along hilly South street. S. 
Parkman Shaw, from Boston, several years ago built a house, whicli he 
occupied for some time. It is now, by lease, the summer home of Prof. 
Horsford, of Cambridge, and of chemical fame. 

Mrs. F. W. Rackemann comes to town every season, and occupies the 
place for some time leased to Mrs. Burton N. Harrison, the well-known 
dramatic writer. 

Alfred Devereux, of Philadelphia, a few years ago bought a house half 
a mile south of the center, and repaired it for summer and autumn resi- 
dence. 

Alfred Gilmore, from Scranton, Pa., is now a permanent resident here 
on his "Lithgow Farm," which he bought from Edwards Pierrepont 
about 1870. 

A handsome house and extensive grounds, bought several years ago 
from J. F. D. Lanier, are the summer and autumn home of Mrs. Joseph 
White, of New York, opposite to the house next mentioned. 

The "Allen Winden " (pronounced "Allah Vendah ") of Charles 
Lanier, of New York, is one of the most sightly places in town, on top 
of a high hill. The views from this and other houses on this hill are 
truly ravishing. The house is a costly one, built in 1882. 

On the Judge Walker place, called " YokunFarm," live Richard Good- 
man, who has been here many years, and his son, Richard Goodman, Jr. 
The old house is a fine relic of the olden time, from which modern arch- 
itects have drawn ideas. The Messrs. Goodman take great interest in 
town affairs, and Mr. Goodman, the junior, is a constant writer on agri- 
culture, cattle breeding, and many other topics. Both have long been 
permanent residents. 

The "Interlaken" (between the lakes) of D. W. Bishop, Jr., of New 
York, on the east side of the road, was bought by him about 1875. 
Three lakes are visible from it: Laurel Lake on the southwest, and 
nearly to the west, Lily Pond and Lake Mahkeenac. Within the past 
two years this handsome villa has been extensively remodeled and en- 
larged, the grounds tastefully laid out by the deft hand of the landscape 
gardener. The view from the east piazzas of " Interlaken " are sard to 
be among the finest in all Berkshire. 

On the west side of the road, is one of the finest houses in Berkshire, 
that of W. D. Sloane, of New York. It is an exceedingly large house, 
160 feet by 100, and costing a good fortune. The grounds were laid out 



36 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



by Frederick Law Olmstead, sanitary and drainage matters were looked 
after by Col. George E. Waring, of Newport, and the furnishings are by 
Davenport, of Boston. Eight miles of tile are used in drainage, A sys- 
tem of water supply has been made for Mr. Sloane and Mr. Goodman ; 
water is forced from Lily Pond, a distance of 2,000 feet, to an elevation 
of 300 feet to a large stone reservoir. Mr. Sloane paid §500 an acre here 
for 100 acres. This is one of the most striking residences in Lenox, and 
all that wealth, and architectural and engineering skill can devise, has 
been availed of. During the year 1889 an elegant music room, said to be 
the finest in the country, was built. The house is said to have cost 
over half a million dollars, and some of the most noted receptions and 
musical gatherings in this town have been held within the walls of " Elm 
Court." Mr. Sloane' s summer residence is among the most notable in 
Lenox, and during the season is the center of attraction of the social life 
of the village. 

Towards half a mile south of this house, on the east side of the Stock- 
bridge road, is the house of Philip J. Sands, of New York, who has spent 
the summer here at " Glad Hill," for the three years during which the 
house has been in existence. The view toward Laurel Lake is a master- 
piece. 

On the opposite side of the road is the " Merrywood" of Charles Bul- 
lard, from Boston, who has lived here since 1883, before which time he 
lived with his father, W. S. Bullard, whose home has been mentioned. 

Taking the cross-road that leads from the Stockbridge road to Lenox 
Dale, the first place is the "Larchmont" of Mrs. Madeline Schenck, 
from New York, who built here about 1881. Some two or three years 
ago, George Westinghouse, Jr., of Pittsburg, Pa., a gentleman whose 
name and fame are widely known by the " air brake," and also one 
of the famous electrical inventors in the country, became possessed 
of this estate, and later began operations for the erection of a mansion 
which promises to eclipse all others in this section, and which is to be 
occupied during the present season (1890). It is of marble, quarried on 
his own premises near the house, and in its appointments is said to have 
few equals in all Berkshire. The house and grounds when completed 
will cost upwards of a million dollars. 

Near by is the "Norwood " of R. S. Chapin, of New York, who bought 
the premises in 1885, after having hired houses in town for several sea- 
sons. He paid $18,000 for thirty acres. 

Opposite "N"orwood" is the late F. W. Eackemann's place, which was 
rented to Dr. William H. Draper, of New York, for several seasons. It 



THE BOOK OF BEBKSHIKE. 37 

is a pretty cottage, built in 1880, and is now the summer home of John 
Struthers of Philadelphia. 

Between this road and Laurel Lake a fine stock farm of 150 acres is 
owned by Eobert and Ogden Goelet, of New York, who spent every sum- 
mer and autumn at Curtis's Hotel for many years. This estate was 
bought about 1875. Fine horses are reared here for their own stables, 
and there is also a good herd of Jei'sey cattle. 

At the junction of this cross-road with the Lee road is the "Laurel 
Lake Farm" of John O. Sargent, of New York, which he bought a few 
years ago. 

Beginning at the upper end of Kemble street, the first house beyond 
Trinity church on the left is the house owned by the Rev. Dr. A. J. 
Lyman, of Brooklyn, a native of Lenox, whose father was a teacher in 
the Academy. It is to be the home of Rev. Wm. M. Grosvenor, of Brook- 
lyn, the new rector of Trinity church. 

Directly opposite Trinity church, on the right hand side of the road, is 
the handsome residence of the late ex-Secretary Frelinghuysen. and one 
of the most charming locations in Lenox; having a sweep of view down 
the valley to the west unsurpassed in many respects. The house is of 
old colonial style, and is among the first of that style of architecture in 
the village, of the later day adoption of that sort of home. It is a strik- 
ing house, handsome, roomy, and yet unpretentious. The acre and a 
little more comprising this site, cost about $13,000. Ex-President Arthur 
was a guest of the Frelinghuysen's soon after his retirement from the 
presidential chair. 

On the right-hand side of the street is the Sedgwick place, now owned 
by Mrs. Elizabeth Sedgwick Rackemann, who, with her family, will 
hereafter occupy it, after having rented it for several years. 

On this same street, and built only two years ago, is the handsome res- 
idence of C. G. Haven, of New York. It is one of the most attractive 
homes in Lenox. This, too, is of the old colonial style of architecture, 
and has a beautiful view to the west. Mr. Haven and family are so 
charmed with Lenox that they are loth to leave it, even in the late 
autumn, and have spent some of their wintex'S here, making occasional 
trips4o the city when they desired a few days "recreation," as he terms 
it. Mr. Haven and family are capital entertainers, and his coaching 
parties are looked forward to with great anticipation. 

Further down the street, on the right, is " The Perch" of Mrs. Ellen 
L. Thompson, of New York. It was Fanny Kemble's old place, built by 
John Brown in 1840 ; she gave it to her daughter, the wife of Dr. Wister, 



38 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIBE. 



of Philadelphia, who sold it to the present owner. The house was the 
home of one of the first Lenox home-seekers, and has been much im- 
proved since it wao built. Its history makes it always an interesting place. 

Taking up Walker street, the house at the east corner of Walker and 
Church streets is that of D. W. Bishop, of New York, which is to be 
rented. He paid $21,000 for it in 1885. 

Opposite this is the house of Mrs. E. S. Jones of New York, who 
bought it of John Struthers. The latter built it in 1882. 

East of the Club house, a house was built for Mrs. M. E. Rogers, of 
Philadelphia, in 1885. It is now rented to John E. Burrell. 

The second house beyond is that of Mrs. Robert Shaw Oliver, of 
Albany, who has lived in it, but who rents now to Peter Moller, Jr., a 
former extensive sugar refiner, a permanent resident. The house was 
owned by Mrs. Ogden Hoffman, of New York, several years ago. 

The next house is General F. C. Barlow's, which was built for him 
several years ago. He has a fine view northward, including Greylock. 

On the opposite side is " Ventfort," which Secretary of the Navy Will- 
iam C. Whitney held under a five-year lease. It is the Haggerty place, 
one of the early country homes in the town, now owned by Mrs. Ogden 
Haggerty. It has some of the finest trees and one of the best lawns in 
town. 

The coming and stay of the Whitneys in Lenox was the occasion of a 
great deal of social life, and some of the finest receptions ever planned 
and carried out in this town were those at "Ventfort." Here, last 
season (1889), Mrs. Grover Cleveland was a guest, and the hospitality 
and social life of Lenox in connection with the Whitneys will long be 
remembered with pleasure in this village. 

A very fine home is the " Pine Croft" of F. Augustus Schermerhorn, 
of New York, on the south side of the road. The house, built by his 
mother, is large, and the grounds are extensive, including a heavy forest. 
He owns 400 acres, some of them comprising a farm, on which he breeds 
the best horses for his stable. 

The new residence of David Lydig, old colonial, and with a fine music 
room and other accessories, will be occupied this season (1890) for the 
first time. 

On the Lee road. Captain John S. Barnes, United States navy, of New 
York, has his " Coldbrook Farm." He built the house in 1882, and added 
thereto in 1885. 

On Beecher Hill, General John F. Rathbone, of Albany, has a house 
for summer residence, which was built about 1865. Mr. Beecher' s house 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 39 



has been moved down into the valley, and is now occupied by General 
Rathbone's farmer. The place, formerly known as " Blossom Farm," is 
now called " Wyndhurst." 

The Dorr place, " Highlawn," on top of the hill, one-half mile from 
Lenox Furnace, was built by Eussell Cook, of Boston, near 1842, who 
was one of the early men to get a country home here, on one of the finest 
hills in Berkshire. The lawn is one of the best in Lenox, and has the 
best specimens of foreign and native trees in town. The heirs of George 
and Francis Dorr own the property and rent it. 

On East road, which runs north and south about a mile east of the vil- 
lage, is the "Sunswick Farm," that Edward Delafield bought about 
1875. His widow owns it and occupies it summers. 

On the same road, south of the road to Lenox Station, is the home of 
E. S. Dana, of New York, who built the house about 1875. He has a fine 
stable of fast horses. 

On Tokun avenue, which runs from West street north, is the house of 
Miss Clementina Furniss, of New York, at "Edgecomb," built about 
1880. The house is noted about town for its beautiful furnishings. From 
the houses on this avenue the views south and west are superb. 

Next to this is the " Gusty Gables " of Miss DeP. Carey, of New York, 
built for her about 1880. This attractive cottage was occupied by Morris K. 
Jesup, of New York, in the season of 1885, while the owner was in Europe. 

George W. Folsom, of New York, has a beautiful place on this avenue, 
at " Sunny Eidge," which he occupies in the summer and autumn ; the 
house was built in 1884. 

John E. Parsons, of New York, came to Lenox a long time ago, and in 
1875, on the west side of Yokun avenue, built a house, to which he made 
extensive additions in 1885. The place is called, " Stonover." 

On the same side of the avenue, north, is the house of Henri M. Braem, 
of New York, the Danish consul, which he built about 1875. His famous 
Jersey herds are among the most valuable in the county. 

Still farther along is one of the notable houses of the town, at " Windy 
Side," that of Dr. R. C. Greenleaf, from Boston, who now makes Lenox 
his permanent home. This house, built about 1875, has a very large 
music room, with a Eoosevelt organ and an enormous fire-place; the 
whole house is furnished in exquisite taste. 

Clifiwood street, or the Lebanon road, as it is also called, affords a 
beautiful outlook toward the southwest. Beginning at Main street, 
Prof. J. S. Schanck, of Princeton College, occupies a house on the left, 
built 75 years ago or more. 



40 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



"Hope Cottage" has been rented to Mrs. Henry P. Eglestou, of New- 
York, for a term of years 

Mrs. S. Parkman Shaw and family have a handsome cottage on this 
avenue, which has recently been extensively remodeled. 

On this avenue Dr. Barnard McKay, of New York, built a house about 
1880, which he occupies summers. 

On the north side of this street is the pretty new cottage, old colonial 
style, of E. McA. Livingston, of New York, who will occupy it largely as 
a permanent home for summer and winter residence. 

Winchell cottage has been rented to Mrs. Hartman Kuhn, of New York, 
for a term of years. 

On Cliffwood avenue, also, Mrs. J. W. Biddle, of Philadelphia, bought 
a summer home about 1880, and is a summer resident. 

A queer house on the south side of this avenue was owned until 1889 
by Mrs Charles F. McKim ; it was built for her and her sister, Mrs. 
George Von L. Meyer, in 1885. On the death of Mrs. McKim the prop- 
erty was purchased by Anson Phelps Stokes, who has also purchased 
several acres of land from adjoining farmers and is converting the same 
into an extensive country seat. A large music room is being buiit, and 
will be completed this season. It is said to be one of the finest music 
rooms in the country. 

The next below is the new residence of W. B. Bacon, who has built a 
house of the old colonial style, finished in 1889, and is one of the attract- 
ive places of Lenox. 

Directly opposite is the new summer home of J. W. Burden of Troy, 
for many years a summer resident of Lenox. 

Still further is the new residence of Dr. F. P. Kinnicut, and a cozy, 
permanent home. 

Returning to Main street and going north, the first houses above the 
hotel are the " Elm Cottages," one occupied by W. C. Schermerhorn and 
the other by Buchanan Winthrop, both houses built about 1880. 

The Bennett cottage is rented to Henry S. Leavitt, of New York, for a 
term of years. 

The Platner house is rented for a term of years to Mrs. William C. 
Wharton, of Boston. 

The Wright cottage is let to Miss Carey for a term of years. 

The Tucker cottage will be rented for 1890, as also the Cook cottage. 

Ambrose C. Kingsland, of New York, has built recently a fine cottage 
at the junction of Main and Northwood streets, and known as the Elezur 
Williams corner. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 41 



Miss May Tucker, of New York, occupies her cottage on " Chestnut 
Hill," which she built in 1884. 

The house at " Hillside " was established about 1870 by Mrs. Grace M. 
Kuhn, of Boston, and it is occupied by Mrs. Cruger of New York. 

The Loring house, owned by Mrs. E. S. Dana, of New York, at the 
head of Main street, is rented everj' year. 

Opposite the Loring house is a handsome villa occupied by the owner, 
Mrs. Hartman Kuhn. 

The Newton cottage, built in 1883, was occupied by Mrs. Marshall O. 
Roberts, of New York, in 1885, and is rented every year. 

The extensive estate of " Cliffwood " is owned by Mrs. E. J. Woolsey, 
of Astoria, L. I. The house was built by E. J. Woolsey and William H. 
Aspinwall many years ago. The estate is a natural park of 500 acres, 
taking in the whole of a ridge of woods running from the Congregational 
church to West Mountain. The drives are eight miles in length, and 
there are three main entrances. The house may be seen from the lower 
end of the county and from adjacent Connecticut. 

Following up the Pittsfield road is the home of Henry Naylor, of New 
York, which he built in 1883, and is occupied by his family for a short 
season every summer. 

Mrs. Lucinda Morgan has built a summer home for herself and family^ 
called "Cliffwood," on the Pittsfield road, a short distance north of the 
church, on the right hand side. It is surrounded by a large stone wall 
with massive posts and caps. 

William H. Bradford, of New York, has an estate that embraces five 
farms, bought in 1882. His land has a mile of street frontage. The name 
of this home is " Wayside." 

Col. R. T. Auchmuty, from New York, is a permanent resident at 
" The Dormers," and is a leading man in town affairs. He came here 
many years ago and bought three farms. He has been very active in pro- 
moting the welfare of the town, in the construction of the sewer sys- 
tem, in getting water for public and private use; he has been a selectman 
several times, is a member of the school committee, he was one of the 
prime movers in organizing the Lenox Club, and he was chairman of 
the building committee of Trinity church. Lenox owes a great deal to 
the public spirit of Col. Auchmuty. 

The cottage on Walker street, run as a boarding house by Mrs. Flint, 
has been leased for a term of years by Henri Matthieu, formerly chef for 
Mr. W. D. Sloane, who will run the place as a hotel. He has named the 
house " Bellevue," and opens it this season (1890). 



42 the book of berkshire. 

Land Prices and Purchases. 

Real estate prices in Lenox have gone up to astonishing figures for a 
country place. The average price per acre for all the land sold in 1885 
was S933, not including house values enough to materially affect the 
figures. Applications for land purchase are constantly coming in from 
those who want to establish homes here. The increase in land prices 
has been enormous.. About 1853, Judge Bishop sold the Egleston 
place for $3,000, because the assessors taxed it to that amount, and he 
thought that he was getting a high price. In 1885, this property sold for 
$25,000, and the place is worth at least $30,000. Location governs price. 
No matter how fabulous the figures for a lot rightly located, it will find a 
purchaser, and he who pays the highest price for the smallest lot is 
the king of the Lenox realm. Latest fashionable prices, $25,000 an acre. 

In 1890 the number of homes that people from cities own in Lenox 
and occupy to the exclusion of other homes, or for a season every year, 
or nearly so, is about 80. A few of these are rented now and then a 
year, because of the absence of the owner in Europe, perhaps, or else- 
where; including these and the houses that are regularly let every year, 
the total number of rented cottages in 18S0 was 60. 

There are half a dozen boarding-houses in the village, where guests 
are taken. Besides these, six or eight coachmen's boarding-houses may 
be found, a kind of accommodation peculiar to Lenox. 

Drives and Walks. 

The drives and walks in and around Lenox are incomparably lovely. 
A large list of the drives, with distances appended, will be found else- 
where in this volume. To characterize the peculiar charms of each one 
would take many pages. Whichever way one turns, the variety will be 
found inexhaustible and the beauty exquisite. Eight roads radiate from 
the village, connecting with a network of roads without, so that every 
drive out has a return by some other way. The roads of the town and of 
the towns up and down the great valley are most of them in perfect con- 
dition, and all are better roads than can be found in any other country 
region in the Union. An interesting drive or walk may be made to Lenox 
Furnace, two and a half miles distant, to see the process of glass making. 

A few 'walks may here be specified by way of introduction. The most 
attractive ones, perhaps, are through the Woolsey estate, where a half- 
dozen walks may be had from one and a half to six miles in length out 
from the village and back. The "Ledge" is a favorite spot, three- 
quarters of a mile out. 



THE BOOK OF BERKBHIKE, 



43 



The "Pinnacle," one mile out, on W. O. Curtis's "Pinnacle Farm," 
affords pretty views from its wooded top. 

Walks are made to Tucker Hill, one-half mile out east of the Congre- 
gational church. 

Through the Schermerhorn woods, one-half mile distant, the walk is 
very refreshing on a hot day, through the dark aisles of the giant pines. 

Lily Poud, through the Lanier woods, is another resort, a mile and a 
half distant. 

To the top of Bald Head Mountain, two and a half miles out, is a walk 
that will always leave an impression. The view is one of the best in 
Berkshire. 

On the North Lenox Mountain, four miles distant, the scene is very 
fine. Near this, four and a half miles distant, is Yokun's Seat, 2,080 feet 
high, the highest mountain in town, with extensive view. 

Several walks are made to the Housatonic Eiver, two and a half miles 
off, to Laurel Lake, three miles away, and to the head of Lake Mah- 
keenac, two miles distant, all exceedingly beautiful. 

Social Features. 

The favorite game among the younger people is tennis, which is played 
at many private courts and at the court of the Lenox Club, than which 
there is no finer. The annual tennis tournament is held in October and 
lasts three days. The best players in the country and many from abroad 
have participated in the tournaments. The last day's games are played 
on the club courts, and the prizes which are given by the club are pre- 
sented then. The scenes at these tournaments arc always brilliant and 
interesting. Archery is indulged in to some extent. 

The entertainments given by those who live in cottages consist of lawn 
parties, archery meets, tennis matches, breakfasts, dinners, dancing, and 
musicales, the last mostly at the Ladies' Club or the Lenox Club. The 
social features of Lenox long ago attained a character and a reputation 
that have become so well known as to need but a few words here in the 
way of calling up some of the doings of the season of 1885. Among 
society people Lenox is a continuation of Newport, from which place 
people come about the 1st of September. Ex-President Arthur was the 
social lion of the town for several weeks, and was frequently at the din- 
ner and tea parties that are a prominent feature of the town. He became 
such an admirer of Lenox that he prolonged his stay beyond the time 
originally contemplated. Secretary of the Navy Whitney entertained 
mmy friends, among them being William C. Endicott, Secretary of War. 



44 THE BOOK OP BERKSHIKE. 



At Curtis's Hotel were the family of the late Frederick T. Frelinghuyseu, 
Secretary of State ; Minister Th. de Bounder, from Belgium ; Sir Arthur 
and Lady Aylmer ; Sir Arthur Guest; John A. Kasson, ex-minister to Ger- 
many and Austria; Frank Thompson, president of the Pennsylvania Rail- 
road; Admiral and Mrs. Upshur, and Captain Carter, U. S. N. Several 
elaborate weddings were the excitement of their time. Coaching parties 
were frequent, one going on a trip to Richfield Springs and C'azenovia, 
and another being made by some of the members of the New York 
Coaching Club, who rode from New Hamburg, on the Hudson, and were 
the guests of their associate, F. A. Schermerhorn, for a few days. One 
day there was a "tub parade," in which fourteen carts participated, all 
lavishly decorated with autumn leaves, flowers, ribbons, and drapery of 
various sorts. After a parade through the principal streets, the partici- 
pants and their friends were entertained by Miss Furniss at her beautiful 
house on Yokun avenue. This has now come to be a regular thing, and 
the annual "tub" parade di-aws visitors to Lenox in great numbers. A 
ladies' fair was held for a charitable object; and the Lenox Club had its 
annual reception and ball; and its races were held on Lee Pleasure Park. 
One million dollars' worth of diamonds is said to have been displayed 
at an evening reception. One lady is reported to have received sixty 
calls in one day. The great social event of one week was that given in 
honor of a tennis tournament at Sedgwick Hall. Everybody was there, 
the costumes of the ladies were beautiful, flowers, palms and ferns 
decked the rooms, and an army of waiters from New York attended to 
the guests. There is unremitting gayety, and a constant round of ele- 
gant balls, tea parties, dinners, lawn parties, and so on, sometimes 
several at the same time, during every season. 

Another annual event of great interest is the Lenox Club races held at 
the Lee Pleasure Park. The races are attended by " all Lenox " and the 
enjoyment of the contests is genuine. 

The Clubs. 

The Clubs of Lenox are natural to its social life. The Lenox Club, for 
gentlemen, was organized about 1865 by Ogden Goelet, William Ellery 
Sedgwick, Richard Goodman, Sr., George B. Warren, and the late Ed- 
ward M. Rogers. About 1874 the club was incorporated and buildings 
were erected, at a cost of $10,000, containing a billiard room, bowling 
alley, and other club belongings. In 1885, at an expense of $10,000, sev- 
eral rooms were added, and a fine tennis court. There is a reading room, 
and a library has been started. So many members live in the town in 




OLD COUBT HOUSE— NOW SEDGWICK HALL. 



46 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIKE. 



the winter that the club house is heated aud kept open and occu- 
pied throughout the entire year. The club has over 100 stock- 
holders and 115 members. Ladies are admitted to the premises on such 
public occasions as musicales and tennis contests. In some years the 
ladies were given the use of the tennis court. In 1889 a large piece of 
property adjoining the grounds was purcliased by the club, and here new 
tennis courts are to be laid out. 

Sedgwick Hall was the old court house, and was bought for $6,000 in 
1871 by Mrs. Adaline E. Schermerhorn and given to trustees for the use 
of the town. She established the Charles Sedgwick Library and Read- 
ing Room, which the trustees maintain. The Library has towards 6,000 
volumes. The Hall has been used for dancing. The children of Mrs 
Schermerhorn have repaired the building at a cost of $10,000. In 1880, 
the " Schermerhorn Annex" to Sedgwick hall was built by F. A. Scher- 
merhoi'n at a cost of $25,000. It is a large brick building, standing in the 
rear of the old hall, and contains the already famous assembly room. 
Here it was that Mrs. Whitney gave a ball in honor of Mrs. Cleveland in 
the fall of 1889, one of the most brilliant events ever given in Lenox. 

The appearance of Lenox village is that of the most exacting neatness 
and beauty. Not a blemish offends the eye. Tasteful homes, smooth 
lawns, flowers, graceful trees, the coming and going of handsome equip- 
ages and many harmonizing accessories please the sight constantly. The 
residents are so careful of the perfect appearance of all things that there 
is little work for a village improvement society to do. But, neverthe- 
less, there is a Ladies' Village Improvement Society that has planted 
many hundreds of trees, kept the sidewalks in order, and looked after 
the neatness of the village. Most of the village houses are connected 
with Col. (Jeorge E. Waring's sewage system. In four recent years the 
town spent $45,000 for various public improvements. 

Notwithstanding the system of sewerage that was introduced a few 
years ago, the growth of the village since then compelled an enlarge- 
ment of the system, and this was completed in 1889 ; so that Lenox 
boasts of the best sanitary arrangements in that regard of any village in 
Berkshire. The water supply is to be still further enlarged the present 
season at a cost of some $30,000. This will give a new and larger reser- 
voir, supplied from mountain brooks, and a ten-inch main is to be put in 
during the summer of 1890. This will give the village ample accommo- 
dations in this direction for pure water for domestic use, as also furnish- 
ing an additional safeguard against serious damage by fire. 

The necessity for a bank was apparent long ago, and it was sometimes 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIKE. 47 



diflScult for a gentleman, however well fixed he might be financially, to 
obtain ready money, on account of getting a check or draft cashed. Be- 
sides, a place of deposit for moneys or valuables was also a growing 
necessity, and so that demand culminated in the organization of the 
Lenox National Bank, in the fall of 1889. The stock is largely held by 
city people, and it has demonstrated a paying investment as well as ac- 
commodation for the business men of the village as well as the people 
who come here for a summer or more transient residence. A savings 
bank is also to be established ere long. 

Another season it is possible that electric lights will be introduced; in 
fact, a company for that purpose was organized some time ago, and it is 
now talked that a system by which Lee, Lenox and Stockbridge may be 
lighted from one central station will be adopted in the near future. 

A substantial drinking fountain, made of Italian and Tennessee mar- 
bles, was placed in the " triangle" on Main street in 1885. It was a gift 
to the town in memory of Miss Emma Stebbins, the sculptor, from her 
friends, at a cost of $1,500. 

The Late Season. 

The season in Lenox ended the first week in September, many years 
ago. Now the height of the season is in October, and many people re- 
main till November and December, while some tarry till far into January, 
or come for a visit at that time, and some even stay all winter. Main 
street is a lively scene in an October afternoon, with many people and 
carriages and vehicles of all sorts, drawn by the best bred horses. One 
of the more recently introduced forms of amusement is "hare and 
hounds" hunting, aud the ladies as well as the gentlemen get much en- 
joyment and the most invigorating sport from these dashes across coun- 
try. Hence the season is a very long one in Lenox, beginning moderately 
in the early summer, and making a round of summer, autumn, and part 
of winter. The charm of October in Lenox is incomparable outside 
of Berkshire. The brilliant foliage, the warm days with their invigor- 
ating climate, the beautiful drives, and all nature, visible, tangible and 
intangible, combine to make the region a paradise, in which living is a 
transcendant delight. 

The October appearance of the country made the following impression 
upon the Lenox correspondent of a Chicago paper: "There are no 
autumnal pictures in any other part of our country more beautiful than 
those of Berkshire. The pictures the Great Master has painted upon the 
woody hill-sides are inimitable. The yellow leaves of the sugar maples. 



48 THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 

the combination of bright colors of the black maples, interwoven with 
the long, slender red leaves of the shumach, together -with the purple and 
bronze of the oak, contrasted with the green of the hemlock and pine, 
all standing against a background of gray rocks, is a charming picture 
which the eye never tires of looking upon." 

As winter comes on, the factors of the country aspect are changed, but 
not the charm of the result. A winter scene is not the dreary thing that 
people who have never seen it here think that it is. So beautiful are 
these scenes that the most artistic engravers nowadays reproduce them 
the best they can for magazine readers, and there is no place where they 
can find better originals than here in Berkshire. Miss Sedgwick's love 
of winter scenery manifests itself in a letter of December 1st, 1844. She 
writes " of the beauty of yesterday morning, when winter rose in her 
'robes pontifical, ne'er seen, but wondered at.' Summer is but a draw- 
ing-room scene compared to it. The sun of these days rises behind the 
highest point in our eastern horizon, and consequently his beams shoot 
down the sides of the mountains, and even into the laps of the hills, be- 
fore he is himself visible. A newly fallen snow covered the whole area 
between the hills from mountain top to mountain top, and every tree 
and shrub ; not a breath of air had shaken the snow off the lightest twig. 
It was intensely cold, and the smoke from our village homes — the breath 
of their nostrils — rose in a solid column white and bright as molten 
silver. Here a rose-colored light flushed the hills, and then the light 
dropped down into their hollows like a cloth of gold. The whole vault 
of heaven was of the brightest blue; not a cloud, not a paling hue, over 
any portion of it; and far up in the clear atmosphere, and relieved against 
this blue, stood the magnificent trees, with their winter foliage of snowy 
wreaths. Then up came the sun, and the trees that crested the summit 
all along his horizon glittered as if they were shining in another world." 
Writing of the winter climate, Mrs. Hawthorne says: " This superb win- 
ter's morning, when to live seems joy enough. * * * There have been 
no winter horrors of great cold and storm here, as we were led to expect. 
The children have lived upon the blue nectared air all winter, and papa 
said the other day that he did not believe there were two other children 
in New England who had had such uninterrupted health and freedom 
from colds. Such clear, unclouded eyes, such superb cheeks, as come in 
and out of the icy atmosphere ! Such relish for dry bread, such dewey 
sleep, such joyous uprisings!" Hawthorne himself went so far as to 
write in the winter: " On the whole, I think that the best time for liv- 
ing in the country is in the winter." 



the book of berkshire. -19 

Tkinity Chukch. 

Lenox has an unpretentious, yet substantial and well-finished church 
in Trinity. It is built of dolomite, finished in 1886, at a cost of forty to 
fifty thousand dollars, and consecrated in 1888, Bishop Potter of New York 
preaching the consecration sermon. At the laying of the corner-stone, 
the sealed box was placed in position by ex-President Arthur. The 
tower and porch are the gift of F. A. Schermerhorn and Mrs. K. T. 
Auchmuty, in memory of their brother. The eight stained-glass win- 
dows in the chancel, representing scenes in the life of the Savior, are 
the gift of Mrs Charles Kneeland. The large circular stained glass win- 
dow opposite the chancel is " The Children's Window," given by the 
children of the church. The chancel is the gift of the Misses Kneeland 
in memory of their brother, George Kneeland. The half-acre that is 
the site of the church, was bought for $8,000, and the whole cost, ex- 
cept special gifts, was paid by subscription. 

The Congregational church, on the hill, will always be an object of 
interest. The Methodists also have a cozy little house of worship in the 
old Trinity church building, and the Catholics have also a pleasant and 
commodious house of worship on Main street. 

There is But One Opinion. 

That Lenox really is what its admirers claim for it, is proved by the 
fact that the peoi)le who come here have most of them done extensive 
traveling where the finest scenery of the world is found, and that they 
are people of taste and culture whose opinion is law. This is referred to 
for the benefit of those who have not been here. Many landscape 
painters have been here, and many paintings of Lenox scenery have 
been made. Among the artists who came early were Inman and Gray, 
both of New York. 

A correspondent of the Boston Globe from Lenox, in 1885, wrote: "It 
is not wonderful that visitors here are enthusiastic over the beauties of 
the Berkshire hills. The place has a charm peculiarly its own." A New 
York Tribune correspondent adds: " The region is becoming much like 
a large park." Prof. Thomas Egleston, of New York, has said : " Thirty 
years ago, every house in Lenox was the home of a refined and intelli- 
gent household." It is no less so to-day. President Chapin, of Beloit 
College, wrote: " Let me send a filial greeting to old Bald Head, and my 
thanks, that swell with precious memories, to the genii of the Ledge and 
its pine grove; of the Pinnacle and its rough, romantic paths ; and to 



50 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIKE. 

the naiads of the Mountain Mirror [Lake Averic], whose placid beauty 
must be forever enchanting." 

Miss Sedgwick writes of a fine day in 1860: " It is a divine day — a day 
when hope and faith spring forth from the glorified earth in harmony 
with the soaring birds and the opening flowers. The air this morning is 
such as might come from Paradise, when the guardian angel opens its 
gates to happy mortals. There is a worship of beauty, a sweet breath of 
praise from all this wide landscape before my door. Nature is the 
heavenly messeoger whose voice is melody and harmony." 

But, perhaps, enough has been said to give the reader a good idea of 
Lenox and its people. Nothing remains now for the stranger to do but 
to visit the town and see for himself; and, if he has an appreciative and 
discriminating eye and taste, he will discover a thousand times more 
than this tells him of. Lenox is now in the fashionable age. Its literary 
age, so appropriate to this remarkable region, has passed, to give place to 
the luxuries of the wealthy and the fashions of the ceremonious. The 
people who come this way in the summer and autumn to live a long or 
short time, at home and hotel, number about 1,500 at any one time, and 
as people are constantly coming and going, the total number of all is 
much larger. The town is now owned principally by those who have 
come here to establish country homes, and the almost complete acqui- 
sition of the town's territory by these people is in the near futui'e. 
Already large portions of Lenox and Stockbridge constitute a huge 
garden, and it cannot be many years before their whole included region 
shall be one interrupted, magnificent park, tenanted by happy owners. 
The town is better for the influx of wealth and culture, and Berkshire 
as a whole is better in many ways for the growing demand for summer 
homes here in the leading resort of Berkshire. 



STOCKBRIDOH. 




O ONE can undertake to describe Stockbridge 
without a deep felt realization of how in- 
adequate both tongue and pen are to express 
the sense pleasures and the feelings they 
awaken, that fill the writer to overflowing. 
But regret gives place in time to a resigna- 
tion to the incompetence of human com- 
munication to deal with such masterpieces 
of the Creator as are scattered lavishly over 
this town. Stockbridge is one of the two or 
three places on the continent where the dis- 
tinguished men of the earth make pilgrim- 
ages to adore the acme of village and country 
beauty, and where travelers speak of the 
choicest scenes of the world in comparison; yet more of contrast than 
comparison, for it is here alone that the tone of scenery, peculiar to the 
town, is anywhere found. It is an indescribable cast of the beautiful 
and the picturesque, too fine for the common soul, too exquisite for a 
duplicate. 

The youthful, intellectual fancy of the poet Bryant was touched to the 
quick upon his first entry into this town. While walking from Cum- 
mington to Great Barrington, to enter a law office, on October 3d, 1815, 
accustomed as he had been all his life to the charms of nature, he here 
beheld touches that he had never found before. Referring to the im- 
pression that the scene made upon him, he wrote, fifty-seven years after: 
*' The woods were in all the glory of autumn, and I well remember, as 1 
passed through Stockbridge, how much I was struck by the beauty of 
the smooth, green meadows on the border of that lovely river, which 
winds near the Sedgwick family mansion, the Housatonic, and whose 
gently flowing waters seemed tinged with the gold and crimson of the 
trees that overhung them. I admired no less the contrast between this 
soft scene and the steep, craggy hiUs that overlooked it, clothed with 
their many colored forests. I had never before seen the southern part 



52 THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIBE. 



of Berkshire, and congratulated myself on being a resident of so pictur- 
esque a region." But the poet could never do justice to Stockbridge, 
except in appreciation. He, like many others, must have felt that the 
mind was capable of entertaining emotions aroused by natural scenery, 
that no power of expression could truly represent. 

The Spikit of the Sueeoundings. 

How thoroughly the spirit of the surroundings is absorbed by living 
among them is illustrated by an effort at their description by an old time 
resident, E. W. B. Canning, who begins with this striking incident: "An 
eminent son of Stockbridge — though for many years of his later life a 
resident elsewhere — escorted his newly married wife, who was an entire 
stranger to Berkshire, on her first visit to his native town. He planned 
that his arrival should occur at sunset of a bright evening in the time of 
the apple blossoming, and over the hill that rises north of the village. 
The wondrous beauty of the landscape, and the charms of its houses, 
nestled among the elms and maples of the quiet streets, left an impres- 
sion which, thirty years thereafter, found joyous utterance among the 
last words of her death bed delirium. Had she confused that unforgot- 
ten scene of her early bridal with the prospect of the heaven on whose 
shadowy borders she was lingering ? 

"Beautiful for situation, and a joy of the whole Commonwealth, is 
Old Stockbridge on the Plain. The town singularly combines, in its 
scenery, grandeur and beauty. The wooded foot-hills of the Taconic 
range bound it on the west, sloping in places gently downward to its 
triple lakes and its winding river, and again boldly breaking off in 
abrupt precipices. The Housatonic comes placidly in from the east- 
ward, and, after slowly executing numerous romantic curves through 
extensive meadows, makes a more rapid exit into Great Barrington. 
Eattlesnake Peak — the De-ow-hook of the Indians — dominates on the 
northeast border; Nau-ti-kook answers its defiance from the west; while 
Monument, famed in story and in song, bounds the immediate view on 
the south. Southeastwardly the hills ascend rather steeply to a high 
plateau called 'Beartown,' and, in a huge fissure of a spur ridge, lies 
Ice Glen, one of the ' lions ' of the place, overlooked by the much 
frequented resort called 'Laura's Best.' Such a variety of hill, plain 
and valley affords a corresponding variety of prospect ; and it is a fact, 
often remarked by visitors, that rarely, if ever, elsewhere will a drive 
in any direction open so frequent a succession of views, so constant, so 
diverse, and all so beautiful." 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIBE. 53 



The Sedgwick Family. 
As with other Berkshire towns, the character of the people who first 
resorted to Stockbridge was determined by the residents. The social 
status of the town was due, in the first place, principally to the Sedg- 
wick family. In 1785, Theodore Sedgwick began to practice law in the 
village, and to him is due the credit of the first practical anti-slavery 
agitation. Col. Ashley, of Shefiield, who supposed that he owned a negro 
woman, who had run away from him, brought suit against the man who 
harbored her. Under Mr. Sedgwick's defence, it was decided that slavery 
was impossible under the State Constitution of 1780. The woman was 
so grateful that she became a member of his household for her life ; she 
took care of his children, and was buried in the family lot, where a 
monument, inscribed by Catherine M. Sedgwick, commemorates her 
humble virtues. The first slave in America, whose chains were broken 
by the law as early as over a century ago, lies buried in Stockbridge. It 
was chiefly through the exertions of her benefactor that the Massachu- 
setts law was made permanent. Among the earliest reported cases of 
the Supreme court, in Greenwood vs. Curtis, in volume YI of the Massa- 
chusetts Reports, Mr. Sedgwick, then a judge of the court, and an early 
member of the most distinguished line of judiciary of all the States, laid 
broad and deep the foundations of justice, in this State, by declaring 
that the law of nature should be the law of the land, and that no person 
could hold property in the person of another. Before he was judge, Mr. 
Sedgwick was a United States senator, and was a prominent man in 
launching the ship of State, under the Constitution, and such was his 
reputation that Aaron Burr studied law with him. Burr lived in the 
J. Z. Goodrich house. 

Judge Sedgwick and his children, Charles and Catherine, were instru- 
mental in atti-acting the first visitors to Stockbridge, who were at the 
same time their own visitors. The daughter has described how this 
began: "My father's public station and frequent residences in town 
gave him a very extensive acquaintance, and his affectionate temper 
warmed acquaintance into friendship. There were then no steamers, 
no railroads, and a stage route through our valley but once a week. 
Gentlemen made their journeys in their private carriages, and, as a mat- 
ter of course, put up at their friends' houses. My father's home was a 
general depot, and when I remember how often the great gate swung 
open for the entrance of traveling vehicles, the old mansion seems to me 
to have resembled much more a hostelrie of the olden times than the 
quiet house it now is. My father's hospitality was unbounded." 



54 THE BOOK OF BEBKSHIKE. 

Through the marriages, relationships, fame and friendships of the 

Sedgwick family, people of taste, refinement, intelligence and wealth 

were brought to Stockbridge from all parts of the East, — people, too, 

who could not behold the town and neighboring country, and breathe its 

enchanting air, without owning subjection to the matchless charms of 

the region. 

Eakly Visitors. 

In time, the stage coach thoroughfare, between Boston and Albanj', ran 
through Stockbridge, and travel increased so that eight stages passed each 
day— four each way. The late Daniel B. Fenn, who managed the Stock- 
bridge House, from 1826 to 1831, for his father-in-law, remembered 
many of the distinguished men who tarried in the town a few days on 
their way through, during those years, and a few years before and after. 
They were Daniel Webster, William L. Marcy, Martin Van Buren, Daniel 
N. Dickinson, Robert C. Winthrop, Governor Strong, Governor Lincoln, 
Attorney General Davis, all the judges of the Supreme court. — in short, 
all the other executive and judicial officers for many years: Franklin 
Granger, of Canandaigua; Judge Buel, of Albany; Governor Van Ness, 
of Vermont; Silas Wright, John Van Buren, Harrison Gray Otis, the 
Danas and Appletons, and so many more of the distinguished men of 
the day that the names mentioned are but a few of the whole number. 
Thus it was that Stockbridge, through the Sedgwick family, became, 
in point of time, the first place of resort in Berkshire. 

Catherine M. Sedgwick. 

Catherine M. Sedgwick attracted around her Bryant, from Great Bar- 
rington, and many other congenial spirits, and in the course of time her 
own literary works came to be published. Her "New England Tale" 
appeared in 1822, and was received with such interest and favor as to 
give its author an immediate position in the world of American litera- 
ture. Then followed " Redwood," in 1824, which was published also in 
England, and was translated and published in France; afterwards " Hope 
LesUe; " " Clarence," in 1830; and, after 1834, " Linwoods," " Le Bossu," 
" The Poor Rich Man and the Rich Poor Man," and " The Love Token." 
Miss Sedgwick's precedence among American literary women was never 
questioned until "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was written. 

Besides a wide acquaintance. Miss Sedgwick had an interesting corre- 
spondence with many of the distinguished people of her day, in this 
country and in Europe — with Sismondi, Harriet Martineau, Dr. Chan- 
ning, Mrs. Jameson, and so on. Stockbridge became known to the 



THE SOOK OF BEEKSHIBE. OD 

literary people of the day, and to many others who were the patrons 
of literature and sought the society of its producers. Such people, 
among others, came to the town. The sympathy of the Sedg^icks was 
awakened for the Italians, who were exiled by the Austrian government 
about 1831, and Foresti, Albinola, Confalonieri and Castillia came here 
as their guests. About the same time. Miss Sedgwick went to live with 
her brother Charles, in Lenox, who was then clerk of the courts. The 
house in which Miss Sedgwick hved in Stockbridge is owned by H. D. 
Sedgwick, her nephew, on the south side of Main street, in the center of 
the village, and she was buried in the village cemetery. 

A Pebfect Inn. 

It was but a natural result that, after the introduction of the outside 
world to Stockbridge by the Sedgwicks, the attractions of the town 
should bring a constantly increasing number of visitors from people of a 
kind with those who had been here. Public accommodations for those 
who had no private entertainment by friends were given by the Stock- 
bridge House, which stands, to-day, under the proprietorship and man- 
agement of C. H. Plumb, one of the choice hotels of the world. The 
oldest part of the building, the west end, was erected in 1764, or there- 
abouts, and was called for many years '" The Red Lion Inn.'- People are 
now living in Stockbridge who can remember the old sign as it stood in 
front of the hotel with its picture of a lion, done " after the old masters," 
in red paint. This part of the hotel still preserves its olden architecture 
unaltered. There was not room enough between floors and in walls for 
the huge beams; so they project into the rooms and are encased. The 
ceiling in the rooms on the first floor is of varying height, a curious 
feature that a prominent architect, who has been Mr. Plumb's guest, has 
introduced in the plans of some old style houses. The rooms have 
quaint old cornices and other inside finish, with outside doors of Dutch 
fashion, and, extending nearly across them, are long hinges instead of 
the modern butts. The furniture of these rooms is in keeping with 
their antique appearance, being genuinely old, and not the product of a 
modern antique furniture factory. There are old tables, bureaus, chests 
of drawers, chairs, and so on. One article of fui'niture is an old side- 
board with inlaid work, made by William Whitehead, one of New York's 
first cabinet makers. In the halls and rooms are placed spinning wheels, 
reels, warming pans, old sleigh bells, an Indian tomahawk found at Ti- 
conderoga, deers' antlers, old clocks, and many other things that har- 
monize with the relics of the olden time. About forty years ago, an 



56 THE BOOK OF BEEKSHXBE. 

addition of thirty-six feet front was built on one side of the old house 
and the new addition of 1SS4 is of about the same size, the roof of the 
former addition being carried up to make three stories and an attic. 
Many of the rooms in the hotel have Franklin stoves, or lire-places, and 
they are cheerfully lighted and nicely finished and furnished. The hotel 
now accommodates about one hundred guests, besides giving table board 
to the occupants of about ten cottages outside. Mr. Plumb has a fine 
early garden for supplying fresh vegetables — those great luxuries to 
city people. A very large cold room, one of the largest and best in the 
county, is attached to the hotel, for keeping meats, fruits, and other per- 
ishable provisions. 

This hotel is not so large that the guests must depend upon servants 
for the satisfaction of all their wants. In all matters where it is not out 
of place, they have the personal attendance and service of Landlord 
Plumb, a genial and model boniface. Many of the guests of this house 
have been here for many seasons, John H. Gourlie, ex-president of the 
Xew York Stock Exchange, for instance, for thirty-one years, including 
the season of 1SS9. The guests are upon the most friendly terms, and 
new guests, if they do not fijid friends among the old ones, as they gen- 
erally do. at any rate soon find congenial company, or they need have 
none at all if they prefer. It is said by travelers that they never saw, 
outside of England, a hotel that reminded them of the best-kept English 
inns of the country towns so much as this one does. Be that as it may, 
this inn is not, while under its present management, the subject of im- 
provement, while perhaps the English inn is. 

Hotel Guests. 

The Stockbridge House has always had a high quality of guests. As 
far back as 1S56, such men as Charles Buckingham, the Xew York mer- 
chant; Frederick A. Burrall, the Xew York broker: WiUiam Clark, the 
Brooklyn merchant; Essex Watts, of New York, and Mr. Joslyn, one of 
the owners of the Buckingham Hotel, in New York, came here and 
stayed for the season. The hotel registers bear the names of many dis- 
tinguished and prominent people, and every season the house is fiUed 
with well-known people from New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Brook- 
lyn, Washington, Hartford, and other places. 

One of the most sightly and picturesque views to be had in Stockbridge 
is from a point on the hillside where runs the western-most roadway 
from Stockbridge to Lenox, not far from the residence of David Dudley 
Field and Rev. Henry M. Field, and other places. This view overlooks 






,TS«E-5B- 






.-..? 



:m»- i.Tif .^ 



-JM. 



58 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

Governor of Queensland, in Australia, expects to retire to this place, it 
is said, upon leaving his present office. Mr, Field owns more real estate 
in Stockbridge than any other person; he has not lived here much of 
late years, but is often here for short periods. 

Charles E. Butler, of Nev? York, whose wife was a granddaughter of 
Judge Sedgwick, came from New York and bought the Morgan place, 
near Glendale, where he erected a fine stone house, and gave his home 
the name of " Linwood." His law partner, Charles F. Southraayd, 
bought the Nathan Appleton place, "Oak Grove," which had been 
given to the poet Longfellow, whose wife was a daughter of Mr. Apple- 
ton, but was never occupied by him. The Rev. Dr. Henry M. Field, editor 
of the New York Evangelist, bought the Rev. Dr. West place, on Prospect 
Hill, and put up a fine house, where he has entertained many distin- 
guished people. He has occupied his "Windermere" for twenty sea- 
sons, during which time he has done everything in the way of making 
lawns and planting shade trees, to add to its natural beauty. Adjoining, 
a beautiful home was made by the late Henry Ivison, at " Bonnie Brae," 
on land that he bought from the founder of Williams College. He was 
a friend of Dr. Field's, whom he had long known in New York. Such 
was the intimacy and friendship between these neighbors, that they 
never had a fence between their grounds, the two lawns being like one. 
It is occupied summers by Mr. J. E. Parsons, of New York. 

Lucius Tuckerman, of New York, bought the Missionary Kirkland 
place, " Ingleside," called generally the President Kirkland place, form- 
erly, from his son, the president of Harvard College. Mrs. G. E. Beck, 
of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., bought from H. W. T. Mali, of New York, his 
"Edge Hill Farm," not far from the south end of Lake Mahkeenac. 
The late William Ashburner, a native of the town, but long a resident 
of San Francisco, has a place near Ice Glen, " Maple Hill;" and on the 
opposite side of the way is the place of the late Charles Boyden, of Bos- 
ton. William E. Doane, of New York, who has a place on Main street, is 
very active in village improvement. Professor C. A. Joy, formerly of 
Columbia College, came here twenty years ago, and procured a home on 
the slope of Prospect Hill, and, a few years after. Professor Rood, of 
Columbia, made a country home as his near neighbor. 

In 1885, Joseph H. Choate, of New York, who had spent many seasons 
in town, purchased land extending from Main street up to Prospect street, 
where he has recently built one of the loveliest homes in the country. 
The house on the lower side of Prospect street cost 8100,000, it is 
said, and is a rare possession, with its many adornments, couveui- 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 59 



ences and comforts. It is finished in many handsome natural woods, 
and the windows are so arranged that the view from each one is like a 
framed picture of surpassing beauty. The greatest length of the house 
is 96 feet; breadth, 46 feet, and, on the lower side, three stories high. 
It is a wooden house, somewhat in the old English style of architecture. 
The outside is shingled down to the basement, and has no paint, except 
on trimmings. Five stacks of chimneys and two towers rise above the 
roofs, two spacious piazzas are on the rear, and the whole building is 
beautifully broken up with bays, angles, windows, and various archi- 
tectural designs. 

Just north of the Choate place is the new summer residence of Mr. 
Birdseye Blakeman, of the wellknown publishing firm of Ivison, Blake- 
man & Phinney, of New York. The house is large, constructed of marble, 
and is one of the finest homes in the county. The grounds are particu- 
larly fine, and in summer are turned into one vast garden. The views 
from these places are of surpassing loveliness. The handsome new home 
of Mrs. lasigi, of Boston, is just opposite the Blakeman place. 

Dr. Chapman, of Hartford, has lately bought land at the upper end of 
Prospect street, where he is to build a home. Mrs. Julia Van Rens- 
selaer bought a house in the same quarter some time ago, and has re- 
placed it with a handsome modern cottage, which she occupies with her 
sister, Mrs. Philip Livingston. 

Bringing to a close the mention of the owners of country homes in 
Stockbridge, a delicate matter cannot be avoided. A petty jealousy 
toward each other possesses Stockbridge and Lenox, lest one shall claim 
some of the other's " glory." There was a time when the talk of a few 
Lenox people tried to belittle the other town, and the remembrance 
thereof still rankles. Indeed, Stockbridge claims that the grievance 
has not been suppressed. On the other hand, Stockbridge " claims" all 
that it can tax. The division line between the towns runs through the 
outskirts of Lenox village, on its southwest, and here, and in the north 
also, are places in Stockbridge territory owned by people who are four to 
five miles from Stockbridge village, and who are not identified with its 
society, but who are essentially Lenox people in spirit and association. 
What credit is due to Stockbridge for embracing the land on which these 
people live shall here be given, but the accuracy of this volume demands 
that they shall be classed where they belong. The homes that are the 
subject of this feeling are owned by TV. D. Sloane, Charles Lanier, W. S. 
Bullard, W. A. Tappan, S. G. Ward, the Misses Tappan, and George 
Higginson, Jr. 



60 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIKE. 



Permanent and Temporary Kesidents. 

There are a few people who may be called permanent residents among 
the people who have come here to find a home. These are "W . E. Doane 
H. J. Canfield, John Winthrop, Harry D. Sedgwick, JNliss M. A. Wey- 
man, Miss Grace Stanley Parker, the Rev. Arthur Lawrence, rector of 
St. Paul's Church; Mrs. Samuel Lawrence, H. D. Cone, Mrs. Charles 
Adams, and Colonel James F. Dwight, from whose house, next to 
the Indian Burial Ground, the most delightful view in the village is to 
be had toward the southwest. His house is one of the old ones of the 
village, and is a fine survival of the old-time dwelling, as is Mrs. Ward's 
Edwards Hall, which is the oldest building in town. 

First and last, Stockbridge has been visited by many distinguished 
people, some of them as the guests of residents, others at the hotel 
or as lessees of houses. Dr. Kane, of Arctic fame, came when the Grin- 
nells lived here. In 1841 Lord Morpeth, later the Earl of Ripon, wanted 
to acquaint himself with the life and homes of American yeomanry 
while visiting here, and was taken to the house of Paul S. Palmer, in 
this town, where he ate dinner with a man who had been in the Revolu- 
tion, and was introduced to a specimen of the best and most intelligent 
of Berkshire farmers, than whom there are no better representatives of 
American yeomanry. Hai'riet Beecher Stowe lived here several seasons, 
some of the time in the Timothy Woodbridge place, now owned by Lady 
Musgrave, one of the old houses of the village. The family of President 
Garfield was at the Stockbridge House in 1885. Frances Hodgson Bur- 
nett hai5 been liere ; and General Armstrong, the Indian educator, often 
visits at D. R. Williams's. William M. Evarts and Judge David Davis 
have been here several times, and so has Longfellow. There has hardly 
been a governor of the State who has not visited the town — Andrew, 
Washburn, Bullock, and nearly the whole long line of executives. No 
one in town has entertained as many distinguished people here as the 
Rev. Henry M. Field. Among his earliest visitors was the Rev. Dr. 
McCosh, president of Princeton College, then on his first visit to 
America, who was so captivated by the prosjiect, as he stood on the 
piazza of Dr. Field's house and looked off upon the mountains, that he 
exclaimed: "There is not a finer view in all Scotland!" — which was a 
good deal for a Scotchman to say. In support of this he quoted Walter 
Scott, who was wont to say that the finest scenery in Scotland was not 
in the Highlands nor in the Lowlands, but midway, where the bald, 
bleak mountains lowered their rugged fronts, as if stooping to the vales 
between, so that the whole effect was one of grandeur, mingled with the 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 01 

exquisite beauty that it softened. This description, Dr. McCosli said, 
applied perfectly to the scene here before his eye. Dean Stanley, who 
was David Dudley Field's guest here in 1877, said that the view from this 
hill was the most beautiful that he had seen in America. Two years ago 
Sir William Thompson, among the first scientific men of Great Britain, 
spent several days with Dr. Field at " Windermere," and was equally en- 
thusiastic over the view, combining the charms of hill and valley, mount- 
ains and rivers. As might be supposed, a home with such attractions 
and with inward charms, presided over by one of the best hosts in the 
land, has no lack of visitors from the city and from abroad. If we could 
trespass further on this private home, a long list of distinguished guests 
could be named. Dr. Field has been a great traveler, having been in all 
parts of the world, and he often has the pleasure of welcoming under his 
roof missionaries and others whose guest he has been in India, China, 

and Japan. 

Memories of the Indians. 

Stockbridge has unusual memories of the aborigines. An early mis- 
sion of the settlers was the Housatonic mission among the Stockbridge 
Indians. The matter was agitated as early as 1734, and the work was 
inaugurated by the Eev. John Sergeant, in October of that year, on the 
present location of Great Barrington village, where a school was opened. 
The Rev. Timothy Woodbridge, whose grandson wrote " The Autobiog- 
raphy of a Blind Minister," came to the mission soon after. For the 
jjurpose of giving the missionaries a better support, the town of Stock- 
bridge was set apart, and some of it given to them. In May, 1736, the 
mission moved to Stockbridge, comprising some fifty souls, of whom 
forty were pupils in the school. Its fame went abroad, and such were 
the accessions from Connecticut and New York that, upon the general 
migration of the Indians westward, their number was about 400. In- 
deed, it seems to have been the most famous Indian mission of its day in 
the Colonies, and from it several missionary undertakings branched. 
Mr. Sergeant died in 1749, and was buried in the village cemetery. The 
epitaph on his tombstone is said to have been composed by an Indian. 
The conduct of affairs was taken in succession by Jonathan Edwards, 
1751-8; the Eev. Dr. Stephen West, 1759-75; John Kirkland, and, lastly, 
John Sergeant, son of the missionary. But civilization crowded upon 
the Indians, and, in 1786-8, the Stockbridge Indians went to live near the 
Oneidas, in Central New York. Since that time, with four other re- 
movals, these Indians, about 2-50 in number, now live in Shawnee county, 
Wisconsin, where their existence is gradually fading. 




Old Indian Burial Ground. 



THE BOOK OF BEBKSHIRE. 63 



The services of the Stockbridge Indians to the Revohitionists were so 
valuable that Washington, on the declaration of peace, ordered that an 
ox for a barbecue, with whisky rations, be given to them to celebrate the 
event after their own customs. The ceremonies were performed on their 
council ground, at the slope of Laurel Hill, where, after an abundance 
of good cheer, they shot, scalped and burned an effigy of Arnold, and 
buried their war hatchet. 

About .$400 were raised in 1877, by the exertion of Mrs. J. Z. Goodrich, 
for a memorial for their Indians. Their burial place, before the estab- 
lishment of the mission, was in the rear of the home of Col. James F. 
Dwight, on a blufl: overlooking the meadow. A natural shaft, about 
fifteen feet long and two feet square, was got near Ice Glen and set west 
of Col. Dwight's home, on a base five feet high, concealed by a cairn of 
small boulders and covered with vines. A large flat slab was built into 
the front of the cairn, and inscribed: " The Burial Place of the Housa- 
tonic Indians, the Friends of our Fathers — 1734-1877." It has been 
greatly admired for its simplicity and appropriateness. 

Jonathan Edwards. 

The name of the Rev. Jonathan Edwards is inseparable from Stock- 
bridge. He was installed here August 8, 1751, and first occupied 
"Edwards Hall," now the oldest building in town and a place where 
summer guests find entertainment. It was built for the Rev. John 
Sergeant in 1737, and the front portion, minus the veranda and dormer 
windows, is the same now as then. Mr. Edwards erected an addition. 
In a closet in the house, six by fifteen feet, he wrote that great work, 
"The Freedom of the Will," which was followed by "God's End in 
Creation " and " The Nature of Virtue." Here he reviewed and pre- 
faced his treatise on "Original Sin," "The Harmony of the Old and 
New Testaments," and prepared for the press his sermons on " The 
History of Redemption." Several characteristic stories of him are told, 
which may be got in the literature of the town. He left Stockbridge, 
January 4, 1758, to become president of Princeton College, where he 
died on the 22d of the next March of small-pox, at the age of 54. 

The table on which President Edwards wrote is still here, in the hands 
of Prof. Hoffman. The outside of the house is still made of the original 
clapboards put on 149 years ago; they were not sawed, but were split 
from pine logs with axes, and were fastened with hand-made nails. The 
same ponderous doors that kept Indians out now let summer boarders in, 
three little glass windows at the top (it was in Queen Anne's time), a 



64 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

paneling outside, a heavy batten of plank inside, four wrought-iron 
hinges, each three feet long, an elaborate and ingenious latch, opened 
by a knob and closed by a spring, a brass knocker, and a great staple on 
each side within and a hickory bar six feet long standing in the corner 
and fitting the staples, with which the doors have always been fastened 
every night. 

About 200 descendants of President Edwards gathered here, Septem- 
ber 6 and 7, 1870, in commemoration of their great ancestor. They were 
hospitably entertained by the village people, and all united in public 
meetings, music, speeches, and festivity, which closed with a dinner, 
tendered by the citizens on the old Indian Square. The outcome of the 
gathering was the erection by the descendants of a monument to their 
great ancestor, of Scotch granite, costing §.3,000. It stands within a few 
rods of the site of the old Indian meeting house toward the west end of 

Main street. 

Public Benefactions. 

Stockbridge is fortunate in being a place of monuments, drinking 
fountains and public benefactions of various sorts. The second soldiers' 
monument erected in Western Massachusetts was placed here and dedi- 
cated October 17, 1866, with orations by Governor Bullock and Harry D. 
Sedgwick. 

J. H. Gourlie and G. Albinola have given fountains to the town, one of 
them being in the small park near the hotel. 

By the efforts of George Lawrence, in 1S81, $600 were contributed to 
the erection of a unique stone drinking fountain, with appropriate in- 
scriptions, on the Library corner. 

The literary taste, in which the town has never been lacking, found 
expression, in 1790, in the establishment of a public library, which con- 
tinued until 1822, and in many other ways the inhabitants obtained much 
reading matter during that time and subsequently. In 1862 Nathan Jack- 
son, of New York, born in Tyringham and educated here, gave $2,000 
for a public library, provided that others would add $1,000 and erect a 
suitable building. The cash contributions nearly doubled the $1,000, a 
corner lot was given by Mrs. Frances F. Dwight, J. Z. Goodrich erected 
a fine stone building at a cost of $.5,000, and 400 volumes were contributed. 
The Jackson Library Association has a permanent fund, and the town 
and many residents contribute generously every year. The Library has 
about 8,000 volumes, and over 9,000 volumes are drawn yearly. 

A fund of $3,000 was bequeathed in 1842 by Cyrus Williams for the 
education of indigent lads at Williams Academy, in the village. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. fi5 



Cyrus W. Field, in 1879, added to the grounds on which formerly stood 
the Congregational church, ten or twelve acres adjoining, and laid out 
the whole for a public park, all at an expense of towards $15,000. 

John Z. Goodrich gave Williams College towards $75,000, $50,000 being 
in cash. He gave the hall above the Library for the use of the Congre- 
gational Society. Miss A. D. Woodbridge left a legacy of $3,600 to the 
Laurel Hill Association. Mrs. H. D. Cone has made many public gifts 
and maintains in the village of Housatonic a free public library and 
reading room, for the special use of Mr. Cone's paper mill operatives. 

On the site of the old Indian meeting house, David Dudley Field, in 
1878, erected a Mission Tower of stone, in handsome design, and placed 
in it a clock and chime of nine bells, called the Children's Chimes, which 
are rung at his own expense during a portion of the year. The bells 
weigh 8,000 pounds, the largest one 2,000, and the nine cost $4,200. The 
Tower is seventy feet high. It commemorates the Indian mission, and 
the chimes are in memory of Mr. Field's grandchildren. 

Mr. Field also built a road over Monument Mountain, by the way of 
the Smith farm, a few years ago, but it is now somewhat overgrown with 
bushes and trees. 

The Laurel Hill Association and Village Perfection. 
As lovely as Nature has been formed in Stockbridge, Art has con- 
tributed finishing touches to the village aspect, so that the artificial 
environment is absolutely matchless in unsullied beauty. This is due 
to the native taste of the inhabitants, who do what they can privately to 
enhance the charm of the village surroundings, and, for further work, 
have established a society for organized public improvement. The 
parent village improvement society of the nation was the Laurel Hill 
Association. In this village, in 1853, Mrs. J. Z. Goodrich, then Miss 
Hopkins, was instrumental, through agitation, in securing the organi- 
zation of this society. The meetings have always been held on Laurel 
Hill, the ancient council ground of the Indians, which was made a play 
ground for school children by the Sedgwicks in 1834, and was deeded by 
them to the association in 1866. The scattered sons and daughters of 
the town, in all sections of the county, volunteered their aid, and, with 
$1,400 in cash and a large amount of promised labor, the association was 
launched on its aesthetic career. In its thirty-three years of existence, 
it has expended about $8,000, planted 2,000 trees, exclusive of hedges; 
and its watchful care for village appearance may be seen in the side- 
walks, street crossings, foot bridges, village paths, drives and shades in 



66 THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIEE. 

the cemetery, in the shaven lawns, in the absence of street fences, in the 
constant cleaning and graveling, and, moi-e plainly still, in the improved 
taste and culture of the people in all that tends to rational pleasure and 
refinement. 

At the annual meeting there are an oration from a rustic rostrum, 
speeches, and music. In 1881, Prof. H. B. Adams, of Johns Hopkins 
University, traced the Germanic origin of New England towns; and, in 
the following year, he gave an account of the origin of Stockbridge and 
village improvements in Berkshire. The laws of village improvement, 
he says, beginning with restraining the wanderings of swine and cattle, 
have developed to this product of a refined community and of an edu- 
cated common sense, and not only effectually prevent trespass upon open 
lawns and in attractive gardens, but even forbid the accumulation of 
rubbish about the village premises and along the highways and hedges ; 
nay, these laws have even restrained the last vestige of swinish litter 
once caused by thoughtless persons scattering, as they came from the 
post office, torn envelopes and newspaper wrappers upon cleanly walks 
and drives. 

The Unspotted Neatness of the Village. 
The fame of this association has gone so far that the demand for its 
printed constitution comes from every part of the American Union. 
The village neatness is the wonder of every stranger. W. A. Croffut, 
writing to the Boston Herald in July, 1882, says : " Stockbridge is unique 
— the neatest, most orderly, and best kept town that I have ever seen in 
this country. The main street is 120 to 150 feet wide, and all the streets 
outside the wagon way are kept closely mown and swept clean of every 
twig and every dead leaf. Hedges, constantly trimmed, often supersede 
fences — hedges of privet, osage, orange, hawthorn, blackthorn, arbor 
vitse, hemlock, cedar, and all sorts of thrifty evergreen. Everywhere 
one sees the hedge trimmer and the lawn mowers busy, and, as my eye 
strays out of the window, it rests on a man with a broom, with which 
he is carefully picking up every stray leaf. The first day I came here, I 
flung away a crumpled visiting card fi-om the front porch. Then it 
looked so conspicuous on the lawn that I went and picked it up and 
flung it into the street. That, it was instantly apparent, was worse yet. 
It lay on the close cropped emerald stubble, and looked as if it could be 
seen for ten miles. I picked it up and carried it to the waste basket; 
there was no other way. Almost every house in town has a handsome 
lawn around it and flowers before it — flowers in beds of every shape, 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 67 

flowers over the doors in red boxes, flowers in pretty window ledges, 
flowers growing in crotches of the abundant trees, and the whole village 
has an ample shade. There is hardly a house or barn that needs a coat 
of paint; hardly a hedge with frowsy hair. Everything is in order, indi- 
cating not only wealth, but, what is much rarer, good taste and a love of 
beauty." 

The festhetic influence infects every visible village component. la 
1884, the Town Offices were built at a cost of $10,000, a fine building 
with handsome rooms, surpassing anything that can be found elsewhere. 
The interior of the Housatonic Bank building is the most elegant one in 
New England outside of Boston ; and one of the stores has no parallel 
in any other country place in the land in its appearance and appoint- 
ments. 

St. Paul's Church. 

Stockbridge is fortunate in having a perfect gem of a church, St. Paul's, 
which was pictured and somewhat described in the Century soon after it 
was built, in 1884. It was given to the society by Charles E. Butler in 
memory of his wife, Susan Ridley Sedgwick Butler. The interior is 
open to visitors during the day time every week day, except Saturday, 
for prayer or inspection. The building and its belongings are choice 
works of art, the total cost being, it is said, about $100,000, exclusive of 
land. The stained glass pictorial window in the rear of the chancel is a 
memorial of the Rev. Dr. Samuel P. Parker, who was rector of the church 
for about fifteen years. The artist was La Farge. The window was 
given by friends of Dr. Parker. The massive chancel furniture of antique 
quartered oak, communion table and two chairs, was given by Mrs. 
Franklin H. Delano, of Xew York. The antique brass lecturn was given 
by Charles S. Weyman. The pulpit, symbolically carved, was the gift of 
the Rev. Henry F. Allen, of Boston, rector of the church, 1S65-T2, in 
memory of his mother. On the wall in front of the organ is a repro- 
duction of the famous " Singing Boys and Girls " of Lucca Delia Robbia, 
the Florentine sculptor of 1400-80. The oi'iginal, ten panels sculptured 
in all degrees of relief, finished in 1445, was the marble frieze that was 
in front of the organ in the cathedral at Florence, but is now set up in 
the Uffizi Palace, in that city. A few copies have been made from a cast 
of the original taken by a Berlin art society. This work of art is given 
by Misses Emily and Laura Tuckerman. The baptistery is a precious 
work of art in f ossilif erous marble from France and in brecciated marble. 
The memorial tablet was designed by St. Gaudiens, and the stained glass 
windows came from Tiffany's. The Roosevelt organ is a very effective 




Chime of Bells Tower. 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIBE. 69 



one for its size, with a carved case of quartered oak and with forty-seven 
front pipes peculiarly decorated. There are several memorial windows 
of stained glass, carved liammerbeams, and other choice belongings, all 
of which, with what has been mentioned, make this church one of the 
notable ones of the country. With singular pi'opriety this work of art 
and beauty, and harmony and religion, is placed in Stockbridge and in 
Berkshire where nature is in harmony with art and beauty, and where 
religion should reach its purest and most exalted form. The church 
that this displaced was a wooden building, whose architect was the 
famous Kichard Upjohn ; the bell, now in the new church, was given by 
David Dudley Field; and the clock, also put into the new church, was 
largely the gift of G. P. E. James. In the old church had officiated 
many distinguished divines, and it had many noted attendants, among 
them Charles Sumner. Here Dean Stanley delivered a discourse, his 
only one in America. 

The Home of Distinguished People. 

Besides the large number of distinguished persons that have made 
Stockbridge their home, both native and adopted, already mentioned, 
there are many more, a few of whom ought to be mentioned, because of 
the pleasant association. " Cherry Cottage " was the birth place of the 
Rev. Dr. Mark Hopkins. The Eev. J. T. Headley preached in Curtisville 
from 1840 to 1842. The Rev. Dr. Kirkland, who was president of Harvard 
College, first became an educator in this town. The Rev. Dr. Stephen 
West, pastor of the Congregational church from 1759 to 1818, was a noted 
polemical preacher, who wrote "An Essay on Moral Agency," a treatise 
on "The Atonement," and many sermons and essays. The Rev. Samuel 
Whelpley, author of " The Triangle " and a " Compend of Ancient and 
Modern History," was born and reared here. Among citizens of the 
town have been Prof. Albert Hopkins, of Williams College; Prof. J. W. 
Hart, of Philadelphia; Miss Abby D. Woodbridge, of Albany and Brook- 
lyn; the Rev. Henry Fowler, of New York and Chicago; Judge Ezekiel 
Bacon, of Utica, N. Y. ; Judge Pierrepont Edwards ; President Edwards, 
of Union College ; Theodore Dwight, Henry W. Dwight, Henry and Rob- 
ert Sedgwick, of New York; the poet William Pitt Palmer, who was born 
here. Timothy Woodbridge, Jahleel Woodbridge and John Bacon were 
judges of the Supreme Court, the former chief justice; Ephraim Williams 
was judge of the Court of Common Pleas; Horatio Byington was judge 
of the Superior Court. Nine judges, counting promotions, have been 
appointed from this town, and seven congressmen, among them Theo- 



TO THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 

dore Sedgwick, who was speaker. Judge Sedgwick was also United 
States Senator. John Z. Goodrich was congressman and lieutenant gov- 
ernor, and was one of the originators of the Eepublican party in 1856, 
being chairman of the National Committee which organized the party. 
Horace J. Canfield was president of the State Senate. Jonathan E. 
Field, whose distinguished brothers' names are so intimately associated 
with the history of the town, was president of the State Senate, and, 
when in that oflBce, received the visit here of the whole Senate, and was 
a member of the commission to revise the Statutes. Stephen D. Field, 
his son, is an electi'ician and an inventor of a system of quadruplex tele- 
graphy and an electric motor. Enoch, son of Timothy Woodbridge, was 
chief justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. Several devoted mis- 
sionaries have gone from the town — the Eev. Cyrus Byington to the 
Choctaws, the Rev. Josiah Brewer to Turkey and Greece, Mrs. Catharine 
Watson to Burmah, Mrs. Catherine Sergeant De Forest to Beirut, Mrs. 
Sarah Perry Powers to Persia, Mrs. Mary Perry Ford to Aleppo, Miss 
Susan J. Johnson to the Choctaws. The subject of this paragraph 
could be continued much farther. 

Village Attractions. 

The new Casino, on Main street near Edwards Hall, built in 1887, is one 
of the attractive features of the village. The lot was purchased with con- 
tributions from David Dudley Field, William E. Doane, John Winthrop, 
Lucius Tuckerman, C. E. Butler and Charles F. Southmayd. The building 
is two stories high, of the old colonial style of architecture, with a fine 
lawn in front, largely devoted to tennis courts. On the iirst floor is a very 
pretty little theater which is in constant demand during the season for the- 
atricals, dances, etc., the upper floor contains billiard and smoking rooms. 

The oldest shade trees in the village are the four elms standing before 
the premises of Mrs. Owen, on Main street, which wei-e set by Col. W. 
M. Edwards, grandson of President Edwards, in 1786. The oldest maples 
are the remains of a row on the south side of Main street, which were 
planted by residents on Fast Day, 1814. Some trees were set in 1840, but 
a large part of the shades of the village and all those on the outleading 
roads were set by the Laurel Hill Association since 18-53. The money 
has been promised, and will be some day forthcoming, for setting out 
a row of trees on each side of every highway within the town. 

People who do not want to hire a house nor live at the hotel can obtain 
excellent keeping in and near the village in private families, eight or ten 
of which each offer accommodations to a few people. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. Tl 

There are about fifty miles of public roads in this town, all in a most 
perfect state of repair. Riding over them is as easy as over a railroad ; 
they are well graveled, hard, smooth, and even, and the town takes a 
great deal of pride in them, as it ought. Over these roads the rides are 
enchanting, and on fair days most of the people are out with handsome 
turnouts and fine horses. 

Ice Glen. 

Walks about town are in numerous directions. A favorite one is to 
Ice Glen, a cleft across the spur of Bear Mountain, a short distance from 
the village. Here, in a deep, cool, shady, wild ravine of irregular forma- 
tion, is a luxurious retreat in a hot day, where ice may be found all 
summer down among the fallen rocks. The ravine is forty rods long, 
and is thickly strewn with enormous boulders and the great trunks of 
fallen trees, all mossy and slippery and in wild confusion, so as to leave 
cavernous i-ecesses and an often impeded passage for a lively brook. To 
clamber up this ravine in the dank air and gloomy shade is a most 
romantic undertaking, and a weird aspect is imparted to the scene by a 
torchlight visit in the night. 

Laura's Eest. 

Beyond Ice Glen, and about two miles from the village, a magnificent 
mountain outlook is had from Laura's Rest, where David Dudley Field 
had built an observatory fifty feet high, wrecked in a heavy wind last 
winter. Here the range of vision extends wide into Connecticut, New 
York, and to Vermont, on nearly every side of the observer, and the 
beauties that are spread before him are transcendent. 

Where to Walk. 

Fine sidewalks extend from the center of the village from one-half to 
three-quarters of a mile in every direction, and these, well shaded, make 
delightful strolls. Prospect Hill, just above the village, commands one 
of the choicest views of beauty in the world, — so say the Rev. T. T. 
Hunger and every one else who has traveled enough to sustain so bold a 
comparison. 

Of the view from Prospect Hill, Henry Ward Beecher, in one of his 
Star Papers, says Stockbridge is " famed for its meadow elms, for the 
picturesque scenery adjacent, for the quiet beauty of a village which 
sleeps along a level plain, just under the rim of hills. If you wish to be 
filled and satisfied with the serenest delight, ride to the summit of this 
encircling hill ridge, in a summer's afternoon, while the sun is but an 




Stockbridge Bowl. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 73 

hour high. The Housatonic winds in. great circuits all through the val- 
ley, carrying willows and alders with it wherever it goes. The horizon 
on every side is piled and terraced with mountains. Abrupt and isolated 
mountains bolt up here and there over the whole stretch of the plain, 
covered with evergreens." 

The Kev. Henry M. Field has paid many a tribute to the beloved town. 
In a letter, he says: " The peculiar beauty of Stockbridge is that it is a 
valley set in an amphitheatre of mountains, which close round it like the 
walls of some mighty castle, as if to guard it from intrusion from the 
outer world. The point of view from which one takes in all its features 
best is the brow of the hill, on the northern side, where at the same mo- 
ment we look down on the valley below, and round the whole horizon. 
There is one point, on the shoulder of the hill, which has an outlook up 
and down for miles, and, because of this, was chosen by the early settlers 
as the position for a watch-tower against the Indians. After those dan- 
gers were passed, this spot was always a favorite resort for the view. 
It is a tradition of the town that old Judge Sedgwick, the ancestor of the 
famous Sedgwick family, as he rode over the hill, always reined in his 
horse at this point to take in the enchanting prospect." 

Laurel Hill, on the edge of the village, is the object of another walk, a 
delightful place that is a frequent resort. A walk to " Cherry Cottage," 
toward Monument Mountain, is often taken by those who want to go 
three miles. A four-mile 'walk is from Palmer's to East street, and a 
most wild, romantic walk of six miles may be had over the old Burgoyne 
road, which begins close by the artesian well, three-quarters of a mile 
beyond Ice Glen, and extends up the mountain. It is not a public road, 
but connects with the Beartown road, going down to South Lee, which 
is the way of return. But the stranger in Stockbridge needs no direc- 
tions beyond these to find the beautiful. It is everywhere ! 

Where to Drive. 

The town has three noted lakes — Mahkeenac (Stockbridge Bowl), at 
the north, covering 500 acres, gracing a scene of surpassing loveliness; 
Averic, half a mile southwest of it, covering fifty to sixty acres; and 
Mohawk, a mile northwest of Glendale, comprising about twenty-two 
acres. There are ample facilities for boating on these charming lakes. 

Drives outside the town are made to Lenox, West Stockbridge, Eich- 
mond. Great Barrington, Bashbish Falls, The Dome of the Taconics, 
Lake Buel, "Highlawn Farm," and other places mentioned in the table 
of distances and drives. 



74 THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 



Miss Sedgwick's Description of a View. 

A view of Stockbridge is charmingly depicted iu Catherine M. Sedg- 
wick's " Hope Leslie:" "A scene of valley and hill, river and meadow, 
surrounded by mountain, whose encircling embrace expressed protection 
and love to the gentle spirit of the valley. A light summer shower had 
just fallen, and the clouds in a thousand liveries bright had risen from 
the western horizon and hung their rich drai^eries about the sun. The 
horizontal rays passed over the valley and flushed the upper branches of 
the trees, the summits of hills and the mountains with a flood of light, 
while the low grounds, reposing in deep shadow, presented one of those 
striking and accidental contrasts in nature that a painter would have 
selected to give effect to his art. The gentle Housatonic wound through 
the depths of the valley, in some parts contracted to a narrow channel 
and murmuring over the rocks that rippled its surface; and in others 
spreading wide its clear mirror and lingering like a lover amid the vines, 
trees and fiowers that fringed the banks." 

The Huge Old Willow. 
About a mile south, on the road to Great Barrington, is the huge 
stump of a willow tree, whose branches, weakened by age, were blown 
down by wind a few years ago. It was said by all who saw it to be the 
largest willow they ever saw. The trunk measures 32 feet around, and 
the branches were 115 feet from tip to tip. This tree grew from a riding 
whip that a Mr. Goodrich stuck in the ground in 1794, when he passed 
that way on horseback on his way from Weathersfield, Ct. A finely 
written meditation, from the pen of the lie v. Dr. Henry M. Field, on the 
fall of this tree, was published in his New York Evangelist, in July, 1884, 
and we give it in picture, in connection with the initial letter of this 
chapter on Stockbridge, as it apjieared a few years before its destruction. 

Stockbeidge Must Be Seen and Lived in. 

The opinion of many visitor.s to Stockbridge might be quoted from 
their writings as to its attractions, for never a year passes without more 
or less of such publications ; but the reader of this volume ought not to 
need the quotations. Yet, at best, words cannot do Stockbridge justice; 
they cannot describe its omnipresent charms, the exquisite quality of its 
beauty, the unspotted neatness of the village, nor the refined quiet of the 
place. The associations that group here are all matters that interest 
the exile from cities. The memories of Judge Sedgwick, who was one of 
the remarkable men of his time, and who should be remembered, as well 



THE ISOOK OK IJERKSniKE. 



75 



as for other matters, as the first man who was instrumental in making 
slavery illegal ; of Catherine M. Sedgwick, who was the first American 
literary woman of her day ; of the great metaphysician, Jonathan Ed- 
wards ; of one of the first protestant missions among the Indians ; — all 
these and many more memories, and the absolute perfection attained in 
village life and aspect, together with the choice society of the town, 
make it of the highest interest to visitors. As with other parts of Berk- 
shire, Stockbridge is still growing as a summer resort for the tourist and 
for those who stay a few days or weeks, and, at the same time, it is becom- 
ing the summer and autumn home of an increasing number of people. 
Most charming locations for new homes are still plentiful, and in the 
spreading tendency to come this way for a season's sojourn, it is probable 
that not many years will pass before the best of- the remaining ones will 
be converted into many more precious Country Homes in Berkshire. 








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^NE of the pioneer attractions in the Berk- 
shire movement was Great Barrington. 
Here the singular beauty of the region 
first found appreciation, and a few dev- 
otees early made pilgrimages to the Cre- 
ator's choicest shrine of Nature. As the 
late Rev. Dr. Samuel P. Parker remarked 
many years ago, nature has been most 
prolific with this town. While sharing in 
the marvelous beauty of the other towns, 
this one has appropriated the boldest and 
most daring touches, which, outside of 
Berkshire, instead of heightening the 
charm, would have ruined it. The fac- 
tors of the landscape have been thrown into the most striking com- 
binations, all in exquisite harmony, imposing in effect, multiplied into 
astonishing variety, and admirable to the last extreme of good critical 
taste. 

The Fibst Visitoks. 

Among the first in the county, this town was sought by refugees from 
the summer of the city and by country home seekers. Before a i-ailroad 
came from Bridgeport on the windings of the Housatonic river, in 1842, 
these people were necessarily few; but after that their numbers soon 
and steadily increased. William Cullen Bryant frequently, after 1825, 
made summer visits; Elias W. Leavenworth, now of Syracuse, N. Y., 
who passed his youthful years here, often returned, and, in renewing 
fond remembrances, invariably first hurried to command the magnificent 
prospect from Berkshire Heights. William Sherwood came often from 
New York to visit his nieces, the Misses Kellogg, who kept a famous 
school for young ladies. This was attended by his daughter, Mary F. 
Sherwood, who here became acquainted with her future husband, Mark 
Hopkins, subsequently of Central Pacific Railroad fame. John F. Bacon, 



78 THE BOOK OF BEBKSniKE. 

of Albany, came to visit relatives ; and a guest of the Misses Kellogg was 
William Gilmore Simms, of South Carolina. 

The coming of other visitors than former residents and friends and 
relatives of the town's people was conditioned upon good hotel accom- 
modations, which were not provided till the Berkshire House was built 
by George R. Ives, in 1840. Then, with the railway communication with 
the outside world, which was established in 1842, came people who at 
once made Great Barrington an established summer resort. From 1842 
to 1850, among the visitors who are remembered were Henry Bush, con- 
sul to China, who had a Chinese servant, a great curiosity in those days; 
Dr. Barstow and family, of Salem, Mass. ; Dr. Prescott, who was a surgeon 
in the Revolution; Mr. and Mrs. Bamman, who remained during the win- 
ter, and were the first to make so long a residence; and Dr. Ticknor, who 
had been an army officer. W. B. Dinsmore, now president of the Adams 
Express Company, stayed at the Bei'kshire House in the summer of 1846, 
or thereabouts. Park Benjamin, who was a frequent visitor, read an 
original poem at a Fourth of July celebration in 1847, in the oak grove 
where E. D. Brainei'd's house now stands, on the road to Berkshire 
Heights, and C. Edwards Lester, who was often here in those days, and 
whose "Glory and Shame of England" had given him notoriety at the 
time, delivered the address. Dr. Parker, when he preached at Lenox or 
Stockbridge, years ago, told a village inhabitant here that some years 
previously he stepped into the Pearl street store of a New York friend, 
who told him that he had sold his New Jersey property. "Why so?" 
asked Dr. Parker. " I'm going to the finest town on the American con- 
tinent," was the enthusiastic reply; " and that town is Great Barrington, 
Berkshire County, Mass." The unfortunate merchant died before he 
could move to the earthly paradise. 

The first country home seeker in this town was David Leavitt, the 
wealthy New York merchant, who, in 1852, bought the property that 
he called " Brookside," now owned by Mrs. Hotchkiss of New York, and 
located on the east side of the Housatonic River, below the Fair 
Grounds. There he meant to experiment in agriculture, and, at a cost of 
about $60,000, built a huge barn, then the largest and most costly one in 
the United States, and attracting so much attention that Horace Greeley 
came to examine it, and wrote an account of it for his Tribune. The barn 
was burned in 1885. Three sons of Mr. Leavitt subsequently established 
summer homes here, and also David S. Draper and M. Ludlow Whitlock, 
New York business men, and J. Milton Mackie, who came from the 
eastern part of this State, and whose "Pine Cliff," near Green Rivei-, 



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30 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

has a most beautiful outlook. Mr. Mackie is known for his literary 
work, as a leading Jersey cattle breeder, and as the president, a few 
years since, of the Jersey Cattle Club. 

From Great Barrington, interesting journeys may be made in any di- 
rection — to Stockbridge and Lenox, to Sage's Kavine, Bear Rock, Bear 
Mountain, Lookout Point and the Dome of Mount Washington ; to Al- 
f ord and on up the Green River valley, of which Bryant said in his earher 
writings: — 

I often come to this quiet place. 

And breathe the air that rufHes thy face. 

Along the roadway of this river, whose incomparably clear waters pass 
leisurely upon and over beds of cleanest of slaty gravel, the way leads 
by and over the foot-hills of the Taconics into New York state, where 
Columbia county vies with Berkshire in the presentation of good farms, 
good homes and charming landscape layouts. 

Mrs. Edward F. Searles. 

Since the summer of 1883, Great Barrington has acquii-ed increased 
fame from the doings of Mrs. Edward F. Seai'les, formerly Mrs. Mark 
Hopkins, and the visitor is now first concerned to know about them. 
The Kellogg Terrace property, just south of the central portion of the 
village, having been given to her by the will of her aunt. Miss Nancy 
Kellogg, in 1881, Mrs. Searles had the old house repaired and elegantly 
refitted, and has since made the place her home a part of the summer or 
autumn, her other home, for winter and spring residence, being her 
princely house in San Francisco, In the spring of 1883, a $45,000 barn 
was built for her, but it was burned in December, 1885, and afterwards 
rebuilt. Her large gifts to the Congregational society, consummated in 
the spring of 1884, had become widely known, when shortly after the 
news went to the remotest corner of the land that she would have a 
$1,000,000 house built here. This is now nearly completed. 

The house has a frontage to the north of 180 feet, and is about 100 feet 
deep. Its massive walls are broken by seven beautiful towers and numer- 
ous gables. The material is native blue dolomite, taken from a quarry 
across the river and conveyed to the site by a tram railway constructed for 
the purpose. It is somewhat difficult to designate the style of architect- 
ure of the building, but it may be said to be a combination in which the old 
French style predominates. At the north the house has four stories, and 
at the south there are two more, made by the slope of the hill. On the 
south side is a high and massive terrace which is paved with marble, 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 81 

the rail being surmounted with the same stone. Under this terrace is a 
large winter conservatory in which are kept the palms and other tropical 
plants that beautify the grounds in summer. The appearance of this 
terrace gives the impression of a fortress, and it is one of the most strik- 
ing features of the building. The main entrance to the mansion is 
through a grand porch on the north side. The doors for this entrance 
are to be historical solid bronze doors, and were cast in Munich. Their 
cost is $15,000, and they have not yet been placed in position. 

From the hall-way immediately after entering, is the entrance to the 
grand atrium. 

There are three of these atria and they are the central feature of the 
house. The grand atrium is of large size, and its angular lines are 
broken on either side by rows of massive marble pillars which support 
the I'oof. These pillars represent all the marbles of the world, no two 
being alike. As in the hall-way or passage leading to the atrium, the 
wood- work is all of the finest English oak and the ceilings and upper 
wall are of stucco-work, pure white and of exquisite design. Right here 
it may be stated that throughout this entire mansion there is not a par- 
ticle of coloring, excepting that which may be in carpets, hangings or 
furniture. The walls and ceilings are all of oak and stucco, and not a 
drop of oil has been used in the finish of the wood. It is polished by 
hand alone and the finish is magnificent. To the right of this grand 
atrium, in one of the towers, is the library, and on the opposite side in 
another tower is a reception room. The library has the same finish of 
oak and stucco, and is lighted by an ingenious arrangement of windows 
over the shelves. The walls of the reception room are paneled in oak, 
these round rooms being extremely tasteful and handsome. Coming 
back into the grand atrium, one has his attention drawn to the brilliant 
light that comes through a massive arched door-way at the opposite end. 
Looking toward this, the main source of light for this royal chamber, the 
idea of light and distance obtained is marvelous, and a look between the 
massive marble columns, and a second double row of oak columns to the 
music room entrance, is like a glimpse of fairy-land. The floors of the 
atrium are of quartered oak, the walls are wainscoted high with oak, 
and above the beautiful marble columns rises the arched roof. The sur- 
rounding rooms are for domestic purposes, and are in perfect harmony 
with the rest of the house. The second row of columns, just mentioned, 
are all of a rare oak of tan-color, and are richly carved. The columns 
lead up to the grand entrance to the music room, and the oak, like that 
used in the grand archway, is of the same kind as that used in the 



82 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE, 

music room. Eugland and Scotland were hunted over to find enough of 
this rare wood, and its cost was $35,000. 

Passing on under the arch, one enters the music room, which is 52 by 
45 feet, and occupies an extension on the west side. Pages might be 
written about this music room alone, and it would not then be ade- 
quately described. The room is oblong, the organ being built at one 
end, while the other end is oval. The ceiling is arched and very high, 
the construction being with a view to getting the best possible musical 
effect. At one side, over the arched entrance from the atrium, are two 
balconies, which curve and sweep in irregular lines, giving a peculiarly 
pleasing effect. The side walls are wainscoted high up, and above the 
oak is again seen the marvelous stucco work, wrought in the beautiful 
musical designs. About the room in niches are magnificent carved 
oaken seats, so arranged as to be retired, and hung with beautiful tapes- 
tries. But the crowning glory of this room is the organ. The case is a 
beautiful musical temple, made of carefully selected oak, and is a work 
of art in itself that is probably not excelled iu this country. The wood 
used in this case cost $12,000 and a large number of men worked two 
years in carving the elaborate designs. The organ case and the balco- 
nies are built into the room, and the effect is of an entire whole, not a 
room broken by protruding line of balcony or organ case. The lines are 
so softened that the harmony is perfect and the effect is marvelou sly del- 
icate and beautiful. The organ, which cost $75,000, is of the best metal, 
and is one of the finest instruments ever made. The front of the organ 
is not marred by an organ-seat, but the organist is located on a conical 
shaped oak booth, depressed somewhat, and placed some distance from 
the organ. The room is lighted by several hundred incandescent lights, 
concealed in the ceiling. These are controlled by the organist, and the 
lights are raised and lowered in accordance with the character of the 
music. Above and apart from the music room is a beautifully finished 
chapel for the use of the family. 

Leaving the music room and coming back through the grand atrium 
into the hall-way, the grand staircase is pointed out as an object of in- 
terest. It is made of oak, but the rail, which was made in France, is of 
hammered steel of unique design. There are also two elevators in the 
house, making access easy to the upper floors. The rest of the rooms in 
the house are of different designs and each is a study in itself. There is 
a Moorish room, Turkish room, Eoman and Grecian rooms, and in each 
the stucco, the carving, the windows and everything are in keeping with 
the style of architecture represented. 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 83 



All through the house are scattered the most magnificent bronzes, 
statues, and other works of art. 

The kitchen has a tile floor and tile wainscoting, and is as nearly com- 
plete in its way as any room in the house. The plumbing is another 
feature, for it is made as nearly perfect as possible, and by no chance 
can any gases return to the living rooms. 

The main idea of the building is a great musical palace, all else being 
subservient to this. The music room is the central feature, and the 
magnificent atrium is designed simply as a sort of preparatory chamber 
for the sublimity of the musical temple beyond. The living rooms are nec- 
essary adjuncts to the art rooms and are fitted up in harmony with them. 

From the south windows of the house, the views are as fine as any in 
southern Berkshire. They take in the beautiful Berkshire meadows, 
the valley of the lower Housatonic and the range of East and June 
mountains. It is the intention of the owner to make of the 150 acres a 
grand park or garden, and a few years more will see this plan carried out. 

Two beautiful and artistic bridges will be thrown across the river, 
the grounds will be traversed by carefully-constructed roads, and the 
whole will become a veritable garden of Eden. Along the front of the 
place a stone wall is now being built. It is of the same material as the 
house, and will be surmounted by a hammered iron rail of a peculiar 
design. Some $2,U00,000 will have been expended on the place when 
it is finished. 

On both sides of the river at this point Mrs. Searles owns about 200 
acres of land, including the large meadow between the house and the 
river and southward, a quarry of 70 acres on the west slope of Mount 
Bryant, and nearly the whole north half of Prospect Mountain, which 
rises abruptly from the river. 

The High Fountain, 

In the large meadow below the terrace a fountain has been constructed 
that sends a large column of water aloft to the extraordinary height of 
eighty to ninety feet, with the mountain background to show it off. In 
the first frosts of autumn, the water has a remarkable appearance, for 
at the rising of the sun, the spray that sheaths the column of descend- 
ing water, is converted into aqueous vapor, so that it rises and floats 
upon the lazy air, following graceful lines a thousand feet or more till it 
becomes invisible, or joins the low clouds or early morning vapors. The 
projected water then has no appearance of returning to the basin below, 
but all seems to be taking flight. 



84 the book of berkshire. 

One of the Earth's Choicest Views. 
The view from the street near Kellogg Terrace is one of the choicest 
ones on the earth. It is there had in greatest perfection, though charm- 
ing phases of it are seen from other points, further south or up the 
westward hill. A gentleman who has spent several years in town, who 
has traveled extensively in Europe and America, and who has a keen 
and critical appreciation of the beautiful, is one of hundreds of similar 
people, who declare that there is no more lovely outlook than this, even 
in Switzerland or Italy. 

The Sunsets of Marvelous Beauty. 

The sunsets that are thrown upon this East Mountain are often of 
marvelous beauty. Some years they are absent; others, they are fre- 
quent, depending partly upon meteorological conditions. The best 
effect is obtained from the lower portions of the valley, because the ob- 
server is then in the shade of the western hill. Though visible at 
all times of the year, the best sunsets are in June, October and Novem- 
ber. The sunsets seen in the west by city, seacoast and prairie people, 
are incomparably inferior to the magnificent colorings of refracted sun- 
light, reflected upon the west side of this mountain on the east of the 
village, in mellow golden, in crimson, jjurple and many other tints. Sev- 
eral years ago a village resident was passing a man standing in the 
street below Kellogg Terrace when the latter, a stranger, waked from the 
spell that was upon him and ejaculated "There," with a gesture toward 
the mountain. No longer able to retain his admiration, he said that he 
had traveled far among the Alps and the Appenines, and beheld the 
richest sunshine of the old world, but had never found one that so deep- 
ly stirred his feelings as this one. The echoes of the locomotive whistle, 
from this mountain, continue for 50 seconds. 

The transformation of this prospect into a winter's scene is often 
of wonderful effect. The Berkshire Courier describes one as follows: 
" These are the days when to live in the country and see the beauties of a 
frosty morning is joy enough. One morning last week the sun looked 
over East Mountain and saw a cloud of frost crystals suspended in the 
air and rising from the meadows to the top of the mountain ; and as he 
threw the beams of his dazzling eye through the feathery prisms, a 
singular effect was visible to the observer from Main street. In the 
southeast stood a column of rainbow light, apparently a thousand feet 
high, and in the east was another of similar appearance. Berkshire in 
winter rivals Berkshire in summer." 



the book of berkshire. 85 

The Congregational Church. 

No religious society elsewhere in a country town, and few in cities, 
have such a possession as that of the Congregational society in Great 
Barrington. The cost of this was not far from $200,000, the cost of the 
land, which would be a principal item of expense in cities, being only an 
insignificant twentieth of the whole. The superiority of the blue dolo- 
mite, composing the buildings, over most other building stones, is here 
apparent. A description of the interior is unnecessary here, for visitors 
are admitted to the church, and as it is one of the notable chuiches of 
the country, all strangers coming to town ask permission to enter 
on week days, if they do not attend Sunday service. There is not a 
veneer about the whole building; all materials are the best and are 
* 'solid." The solid mahogany platform and pulpit are the gift of Mi-s. 
J. M. Wasson of Pittsfield; and the mahogany furniture was given by 
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Leavitt of New York. The carved work, the 
decoration in colors, the stained glass and pictorial windows, and all the 
belongings are sure to attract admiring attention. The chapel is unex- 
celled and is connected with a ladies' parlor and kitchen thoroughly 
equipped with cooking utensils and chinaware. At the dedication, Sep- 
tember 26, 1883, the Rev. Dr. Mark Hopkins preached the sermon. 

One of the Best Organs Ever Made. 

The Roosevelt organ in this church cost over $30,000, and in mechan- 
ical construction excels every other organ in Europe and America, with 
one exception, that in the Hopkins mansion, already described. The 
size equals that of the average large organs at home and abroad. 
The compass of the manuals is C C to A 3, 58 notes; of the pedals, 
C C C to F, 30 notes. The organ has 3,954 pipes, 60 speaking stops 
and 34 mechanical accessories of various kinds, among the latter being 
13 combination pistons, which, in a fraction of a second, bring into 
use combinations that have been made among 309 adjusters on the face 
of the key box. By their recent invention, which has been applied to 
only a very few organs, all of the Roosevelt make, the player can make 
any combinations of stops that he pleases before playing (billions 
of them are possible), and bring them into instant use by pressing the 
pistons. The best oi'gan in Europe operates by pistons only 24 combin- 
ations, all fixed. 

An echo organ is behind the wall at the opposite end of the church 
and is operated over two and a half miles of electric wires. There are 
but few echo organs in the world. 



86 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



It is ouly in the hands of a master that this organ ever begins 
to show its possibilities ; indeed, only one of the expert organists 
who have played it, and he the most competent one in the Xew World, 
if not in the whole world, has been able to do justice to the instru- 
ment. Public recitals are given by Frederick Archer every summer. 
The ebony and antique mahogany case, ornamented by the best carvers 
in America, was the design of the London architect, G. A. Audsley. 
The 83 front pipes are decorated with §250 worth of gold leaf. The gen- 
erosity of this gift has been ascribed to Timothy Hopkins, treasurer of 
the Central Pacific Kailroad Company; and also to Mrs. Edward F. 
Searles. 

The Parsonage. 

The parsonage, its furniture, and the barn cost about $100,000. Here 
is a most luxurious home, that is all the gift of Mrs. Searles, in memory 
of her husband's great-grandfather, the Kev. Dr. Samuel Hopkins, the 
pastor of this church from 1743 to 1770, who was the author of the 
famous Hopkinsonian doctrines, and one of the vigorous thinkers of his 
time. Mrs. Searles and her brother-in-law, Moses Hopkins, of San Fran- 
cisco, each contributed $5,000 toward the cost of building the church 
and chapel. 

The First Armed Resistance in the Revolution. 

Great Barrington has the honor of being the first place in the Thirteen 
Colonies where the first armed resistance was made to the dominion of 
George III, and his officers openly defied and bereft of authority. On 
the 16th of August, 1774, more than eight months before the battle of 
Lexington, the judges of the Crown came here, then the shire town, to 
hold court; but they were prevented from doing so by a large concourse 
of men, principally from the south end of Berkshire county and the 
north end of Litchfield county, Conn. The court house stood in the 
center of the street, directly in front of where the Berkshire house now 
stands. It faced to the east, and the street diverged here, passing on 
either side of the building. One of the three judges who was to hold 
court was David Ingersoll Jr., who resided in the house now used as a 
lodge at Mrs. Searles' Kellogg Terrace. He owned this property and was 
a pronounced Royalist. The crowd seized Ingersoll and placed him on an 
antiquated horse, with his face to the tail. His cocked hat was battered, 
his wig was knocked away, and in this undignified manner he was ridden 
out of town amid the jeers of the crowd. He was taken to the Litchfield 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 87 

jail, from which he afterward escaped and fled to Boston. While there he 
sold his Barr!ngtou property in order to raise money with which to re- 
turn to England. The old house, of such historic interest, is well pre- 
served, and can be readily seen from the street. In this old court house, 
in 1780, was made the first decision freeing a slave. The slave was Eliz- 
abeth Freeman, better known as "Mum Bet." She was the property of 
John Ashley, and her case was pleaded by Theodore Sedgwick, who se- 
cured her freedom under the Massachusetts bill of rights. The Shays 
rebellion of 17S6-7, against burdensome taxes and imprisonment for debt, 
made Great Barrington a historical scene of action, and culminated in 
a pitched battle in the northwest part of Sheffield, a few rods south of 
the Goodale quarry. The men of Berkshire and other counties of 
Western Massachusetts constituted the two best and most famous 
regiments of the Army of the Potomac in the Civil War — the Tenth and 
the Thirty-seventh — adding new evidence of the patriotism and spirit of 
liberty pervading the region. 

William Cullen Bryant. 
William Cullen Bryant's residence in this town, 1815-25, has left asso- 
ciations that will always endure. The strong impressions that the sur- 
roundings made upon his poetic nature found some voice in his poem on 
Green River, a stream a mile west of the village, that "glides along, 
through its beautiful banks, in a trance of song"; in his " Monument 
Mountain," an elevation in the town, half way towards Stockbridge; and 
about two scores of others, among them being '' The Ages," " The Rivu- 
let," "Autumn Woods," " After a Tempest," "Forest Hymn," " A Win- 
ter Piece," " The West Wind," anda"Walk at Sunset." These works 
of the poet were all the inspiration of the Nature in which he lived. In- 
deed, Berkshire is a vast volume of poems that no pen can fully tran- 
scribe, no words adequately express. Mr. Bryant was town clerk for 
several years, and the records, abounding in his autographs, are pre- 
served. He made record of his marriage to Frances Fairchild, of this 
town, which took place in the Henderson house, June 11, 1821, and re- 
corded the birth of his first child. The old house stands on Main street, 
opposite Kellogg Terrace — and was once used for storing Revolution- 
ary supplies, and where General Burgoyne stayed for a time on his way 
to Boston after the Saratoga defeat, when Colonel Elijah Dwight lived 
there. General Burgoyne was riding by the house, when he was sud- 
denly taken ill, and would have fallen from his horse but for the timely 
aid from one of his staff officers. Colonel Dwight witnessed the scene 




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THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 89 

from his piazza, and hastening out, he tendered the hospitality of his 
house to the sick general. The offer was gratefully accepted, and Bur- 
goyne remained several days, his troops remaining in camp near by. The 
old house is now owned and occupied by Mrs. Culver, a niece of Bryant, 
and despite the fact that it was built in 1759, it is well preserved, and is 
one of the most interesting buildings in Berkshire. In connection with 
the Initial letter of this paper on Great Barrington, we give a picture of 
the house and a full page picture from an 1889 photograph. 

Among the prose work that Mr. Bryant did while here was " A Border 
Tradition," that he wrote for the United States Review and Literary 
Gazette. The meadow south of Kellogg Terrace was once a swamp, and 
was supposed to be haunted. At any rate, strange lights had been seen 
there. 

Monument Mountain. 

Long famous for the views of extraordinary beauty from its summit 
and from its dizzy precipice, Monument Mountain, four miles from the 
village, is a choice possession, even in Great Barrington, A fine tribute 
to this mountain comes from "Octavia Hensel " (Lady Alice Seymour), 
a native of this town, in a letter a few years ago from Austria, describing 
a concert given by Liszt, whose music brought back to her memory a 
visit to this mountain. The apparent fancy of the description has an 
objective reality; for Nature, in Berkshire, always goes hand in hand 
with Fancy: 

" Liszt sat down to the piano. Many years ago a little child climbed 
to the top of Monument Mountain, among the Berkshire Hills. She 
wandered away from the merry party of parents and friends, and found 
a marble nook under a gray rock, fringed with ferns and lichens. Down 
on the moss bed, among the wintergreen berries, she knelt to look over 
the frightful precipice into the valley where pines and hemlocks waved. 
She heard only the sad sighing of wind in the pines, she saw only cloud 
shadows moving over the landsape, but they were replaced by a haze of 
golden glory; for, 'after the shadow, the golden sun' smiles on the field 
lily bells, and sets them ringing for joy. The child could not hear these 
flower bells ringing, but she thought she did ; she saw the bright waters 
of the Housatonic ' winding through meadows in a path of light ' and 
the sunbeams playing among the tree shadows over the stream, and the 
silly child thought she heard the fairies laugh at this game of hide and 
seek. The glorious mountains that wall in the Housatonic Valley stood 
solemn and dark away to the north; the awful precipice above which the 




Monument Mountain from Under the Cliffs. 



THE BOOK OF I5KRKSHIKE. 91 



child stood filled her with that unspeakable awe which we sometimes 
feel when organ notes announce in the Te Deum the majesty of earth's 
glory." Berkshire is not only a poem, but it is a poem set to entrancing 
music. 

Of Monument Mountain, Prof. Hitchcock writes: "It does not rise 
more than 500 feet above the plain and 1,250 feet above tide water; but 
its eastern side is an almost perpendicular wall of white granular quartz ; 
and, shooting out boldly, as it does, into the heart of a beautiful country, 
the prospect from its summit is delightful. * * * in several places 
frowning masses [of rock] are still left projecting from the cliff, more 
than 200 feet above the base, still holding on to the parent rock with ap- 
parent firmness. And it is an interesting trial of the nerves to ci'eep to 
the edge of these jutting masses, and to look down upon the fragments 
some hundreds of feet below. * * * N'ear the highest part of this 
cliff, a pointed mass of rock, only a few feet in diameter, has been parted 
at the top of the mountain; but its base not giving way, it now stands 
insulated, and from 50 to 100 feet high " on different sides. It is called 
Pulpit Rock, and is very difiicult of ascent, though a few people have 
been to its top. 

The name of this mountain is derived from a monument of stones that 
had been made by Indians at the foot of the southern slope of the higher 
part of the mountain. The tradition on which Bryant's poem was 
founded was told by an aged Indian woman, who said that an Indian 
maiden, having formed a passionate attachment for a young brave, who 
was her cousin, and whom the customs of her tribe forbade her to marry, 
threw herself from the precipice, and that she was buried where the 
Indians, passing that way, have each placed a stone. Another tradition 
has it that the pile marks the spot where invading Indians were slaugh- 
tered by the resident Indians. Still another is that the heap was raised 
over the grave of the first sachem who died after the Indians came 
into the region; and, again, it is said to have been a territorial boundary 
between tribes. The accepted conclusion now is that the monument has 
a religious import, and was very likely connected with the burial of some 
Indian. Whites scattered the stones half a century ago, and dug to find 
treasure or human bones, but were unsuccessful. The cairn was re- 
placed in 1884. 

Ei.don's Cave. 
Eldon's Cave is a recently discovered point of interest, and is named in 
honor of Eklon French, its discoverer. This young man is a graduate of 



92 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

the Great Barrington liigh school and of Cornell University, and accident- 
ally came across the entrance to the cave some three years ago. It is in 
the Tom Ball range of mountains near the village of Williamsville in the 
town of West Stockbridge, and is of limestone formation. The entrance 
is through a corridor some 500 feet long, and in places so low, that the 
explorer is compelled to wriggle along on his stomach, snake fashion. 
After passing through the many trials encountered in this dark passage- 
way a large chamber 15 feet square is reached. The roof is some 30 feet 
high, is arched, and is covered with beautiful stalactites, each holding a 
globule of water. The sides are of marble, polished by carbonic acid 
gas dissolved in the water which trickles down from above. When 
lighted by a torch or candle, the cave has the appearance of being a cave 
of diamonds, and the sight is dazzlingly beautiful. Beyond the main cave 
are several smaller chambers, which are not without their attractions. 

Belcheb's Cave. 

In the north end of the village, where a spur of the mountains comes 
to an abrupt end, a cave is formed by the disruption and falling together 
of rocks. It is known as Belcher's Cave, because tradition says that a 
man named Belcher counterfeited silver coin there before the Revolu- 
tion. The place is often made the object of easy, summer days' walks 
by those who want to see what the rough hand of Nature has done, and 
to get the refreshing coolness imparted to the air by rocks and shade. 

Mount Peter. 

A more pleasant walk, and an easy one, is to Mount Peter, in the south 
end of the village, from whose summit charming views may be had. On 
this mount. President Garfield sat, on August 25, 1854, on his way to col- 
lege, and wrote some verses to an unknown maiden who had some stanzas 
<in " Morning in Berkshire " published in the village paper, The Berkshire 
Courier, a few days before. The story and all the verses may be found 
in the files of the Courier in the issue of September 21, 1881. 

Berkshire Heights. 

A walk or a ride of only a few minutes will take one to Berkshire 
heights, the view of which is not excelled in all Berkshire. One hun- 
dred acres of the land here was bought in 1885 by the Berkshire Heights 
Land Company, for the purpose of opening it up for dwelling house 
building for city people. Beautiful streets have been made, lots laid out, 
and a few homes have been built. 



THE COOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 93 



Soou after the purchase of this property the gentlemen interested, or- 
ganized the Berkshire Heights Laud Company. The purest water from 
Green river has been carried up to the heights, the cost of this improve- 
ment being some $30,000. The property lias been provided with ample 
sewerage facilities, new roads have been laid out, and a quarry has been 
opened near by, where plenty of good building stone is obtainable. A 
very beautiful spot was chosen as a site for the new hotel which Mr. Caleb 
Ticknor proposes to build in the near future. The grounds have been 
graded and' the driveways laid out, and all is in readiness for building. 
The plan of the new hotel provides for a very handsome four-story build- 
ing of modern design, with a frontage of 311 feet. The house will over- 
look Mansfield lake, only three minutes away, where fine fishing and 
boating can be found. The view down the valley from the hotel will be 
delightful. The prospects are that the hotel will be built within a year 
or two, and when completed, Great Barrington will have one of the finest 
summer hotels in N'ew England. 

A charming pine grove is reserved for a park and an observation tower, 
from which the view will be perfectly ravishing. The view is far supe- 
rior to an adjacent one from a lower elevation, referred to by the Eev. T. 
T. Munger as one of the few most beautiful of the famous landscape 
views that are to Le had in the world. The hill is one-half mile from the 
railroad station ; its elevation is 264 feet above Main street, 980 feet above 
tide water, and from it scenery of great variety and a profusion of beauty 
spreads out on every side, extending into Connecticut, New Tork, and 
Vermont. One of the latest ideas is to change the location of the rail- 
road station to a point nearer the Heights. This movement is the be- 
ginning of an enterprise that will make available for habitation a most 
delightful hill on the western edge of the village, and is one of the steps 
toward the end whither all Berkshire is tending — the creation of Coun- 
try Homes. 

East Rock and Prospect Rock. 

A more difficult walk is the path to East Rock and the top of Mount 
Bryant, at an elevation of 1,448 feet above the sea, 725 feet above the 
railro ad station, and about 775 feet above the river. This huge boulder, 
left by a glacier hanging on the brow of the mountain, affords a resting 
place commanding one of the broadest and finest of Berkshire's many 
mountain top outlooks. Its beauty is unspeakable, and no one should 
fail to catch its inspiration. The path leads across the top of the mount- 
ain to the eastern brow, where the scene from Forest View suggests the 



94 THE BOOK OF BEEKSHIRE. 



name. At a slight expense, a good road can be made to this summit. 
East Mountain, south of Mount Bryant, is 1,700 feet high. 

A more easy walk, along a woodland path, is that to Prospect Rock ; 
and some visitors pause on the way to call on Crosby, the gunsmith. 

• 

June Mountain. 

A walk of perhaps seven miles, that is productive of much enjoyment, 
is to follow the road between East and Prospect Mountains as far down 
as " Brookside," and then leave the road and walk to the left, along the 
edge of the woods on the mountain side, up to the place where Roaring 
Brook comes off the mountain top. The view here is a choice one. Then 
cross over to June Mountain by Mark Laird's house, and get the southern 
view from that mountain, the beauty of which cannot be excelled. Re- 
turn via the east road to Sheffield. The last view may be had easier by 
riding down this Sheffield road to a place just north of the first house ; 
then walk a few hundred feet up the mountain. 

Another walk, but in the edge of the village, exposing some of the very 
best of Berkshire's scenes, leads a little past Major Gibbons's place on 
the Egremont road ; then off the road, u}) the hill through the small 
pines, where the views change every few feet; then up to Berkshire 
Heights, to Mansfield Lake and to Ames's Hill. 

Lake Buel. 

Lake Buel, six miles distant, is a beautiful sheet of watei-, lying a few 
rods beyond the eastern boundary of the town, to which thousands of 
people go every summer. Accommodations for the public are sufficient 
in the way of boats, picnic grounds, horse feeding, and so on, at both 
ends of the lake. The name of the Lake is fi'om Samuel Buel, who, July 
23, 1812, saved from drowning four of seven persons whose boat "was 
capsized. This is one of the most frequented lake resorts in Berkshire, 
and of late years has come to be very popular. Several cottages have 
been built and many families spend a part of the summer there, enjoy- 
ing a delightful " camping out " experience. 

I<;e Gulf. 

In the mountain west of the lake, half a mile back of the house of 
George L. Turner, is a singular chasm called Ice Gulf. The width is 
forty to fifty feet, the perpendicular walls are eighty feet high in some 
places, and the length is about eighty rods. Huge rocks have fallen 
from above and filled it twenty feet or more, and among them ice is 



THE BOOK OF BEliKSHIBE. 95 



found late, if not a'l summer. The mountain is actually cleft in twain. 
The place is exceedingly wild, an icy chill always pervades the air, and 
the light of day is hardly more than a gloom. Among the theories of 
this curious formation is that of an earthquake, while President Hitch- 
cock's idea, in his " Geology of Massachusetts," is that it is a " purga- 
tory " made by the sea during the partial submergence of the Atlantic 
coast. 

Mineral Springs. 

The Soda Spring, three miles from the village, in that part of Sheffield 
called Brush Hill, has long been sought for its curative effects on cu- 
taneous diseases. The summer hotel that once existed there was burnt 
several years ago, but was never rebuilt. To this spring, and to a neigh- 
boring Sulphur Spring, many people go to fill jugs and kegs. It is sug- 
gested that the water from these springs be brought through glass lined 
pipes to a more accessible point, thus adding still another attraction to 
this region, and the idea may be carried out in a short time 

Long Lake. 

There is no lake in the county whose immediate surroundings are 
more picturesque than those of Long Lake, three miles to the west of 
north. Going over the Christain Hill road, one beholds the best scenery 
in panoramic array. The lake has an Adirondack appearance, with its 
forest margin, its clear water, and the overhanging mountain. 

Beartown. 
The wildest inhabited part of the town is the northeast corner, called 
Beartown, and ascended from South Lee. Two miles from that village, 
at the end of a private road, beginning on. the left at an old saw mill, 
lives Levi Beebe, a mountain farmer, who has attained reputation for 
great originality as a weather prophet. From his house the northern 
view is remarkably beautiful. The drive up the gorge, the ride through 
the woods and a talk with Mi . Beebe are a rare treat. 

The Village of Great Barrinqton. 

The village of Great Barrington has unexcelled natural advantages in 
the picturesque and the beautiful. Variety is prolific, and suprises are 
unceasing. Village neatness is conspicuous, and is growing ; the street 
fences are nearly all removed; handsome lawns, nice houses and graceful 
trees are on every hand; and an air of thrift, comfort and substantial 



96 THE BOOK OF BEUKSHIHE. 

well-being pervades. Among tlie later improvements may be mentioned 
electric lights, an increased water supply, and a comprehensive system 
of sewerage which takes in the entire village. Many new sidewalks have 
also been laid, and improvement along this line is to be kept up. 

A HuNDKED Walks and Drives. 

While some walks and drives have been mentioned, they are but a few 
out of a hundred or more that are each different from the rest, and all 
which embrace myriad charms. Whatever way one turns, he cannot go 
amiss of seeing what will provoke his deepest admiration. Several 
views have been painted by artists of established reputation, among 
them being J. B. Bristol, N. A., who commonly spends the summer here. 
Within the town there are about ninety miles of roads. Beyond the 
town's limits, the objects of a day's or half-day's ride are many — 
in Mount Washington, Bashbish Falls, Bear Kock, the Dome, and other 
summits ; in Sheffield, Sage's Ravine, White's Hill, near North Egre- 
mont; the Twin Lakes, in Salisbury, Ct. ; on the north, many points 
in Stockbridge and Lenox; and many other attractions that will be found 
mentioned elsewhere in this volume. The roads over which these places 
are approached are most excellent. They are nearly all made of gravel ; 
they are smooth, hard and free from loose stones. Great Barrington 
annually spends from $5,000 to $12,000 in the care and construction of 
roads and bridges. 

The Sportsmen's Clubs. 

The South Berkshire Sportsmen's Club and the Berkshire Trout 
Hatchery Club are organizations made up of the best citizens, and the 
objects are indicated by the names. The first named has done much for 
the protection of game out of season and the maintenance of the game 
laws. The Trout Club is of more recent origin, but is an enterprising 
association. A fine hatchery, with a capacity of half a million, has been 
established on a tributary to Konkapot, about six miles from the village. 
Here has been erected a club house, a keeper's house, and ample barns 
for the care of horses, and this is really a most interesting place to visit. 
In the large exhibition ponds maybe seen "speckled beauties" from 
the smallest size up to 3i-pounders, a sight of which fairly makes one's 
mouth water. The purpose of the club is to restore and perpetuate the 
excellent trout fishing in this section, and it certainly seems as if the 
object would be attained. A visit to the hatchery makes a pleasant and 
entertaining trip. 



THE BOOK OF BKKKSniRE. 97 

A Remakkable Stort 
of a Hancock farmer is preserved. He was arrested for high treason in 
the Revolution, and was lodged in the Great Barrington log jail; but 
such was his character for honesty, that he was allowed to go out 
to work where he could pick up a shilling, upon promise to return 
at night. He did this for eight months, and when the sheriff was about 
to take him to Springfield for trial, he assured the officer that he would 
go aloue, and was allowed to do so. After a journey of forty-two miles 
on foot, he arrived at court, was tried, and was sentenced to be hanged, 
but was pardoned. The story is found in the old-time school books. 

Old Macedonia. 
The old cannon in front of the Soldiers' Monument is the relic of a 
famous naval achievement, the cajiture of the British 3S-gun frigate 
"Macedonia" by the "United States," commanded by Captain Deca- 
tur, October, 25, 18J2, after a fight of two hours. For many years " Old 
Macedonia" celebrated Independence Day with as loud a voice as when 
it shot down Yankee tars, until a few years ago, when it became so 
honeycombed by rust that its firing was dangerous. 

The Fair of the Hous atonic Society. 
City people who remain here till the last week of September will be 
much interested to see a country fair — the "honest farmers" showing 
their cattle, sheep and horses, and, above all, the queer mixture of hu- 
manity that assembles from farm, village, and remote hills. The fair of 
the Housatonic Agricultural Society, in this village, is next to the largest 
one in the State ; it has an attendance of 12,000 to 15,000 people, and a 
large show of domestic animals and manufactures of unquestionable 
excellence. 

Some Natives and Residents. 
The house on the summit of the hill on the old road to Seekonk was 
built by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Hopkins, and was tenanted by him. Will- 
iam C. Bryant had his office at one time in the wing of Bazy W. Patti- 
son's house, and once lived in the house where Charles J. Taylor lives. 
In M. Ludlow Whitlock's house, General Timothy Wainwright once 
lived. In 1822, the Leavenworth house, the second on the right above 
the railroad on Castle street, was built — then the finest in town. Elias 
W. Leavenworth, who passed his youth in the village, late of Syracuse, 
N. Y., was a distinguished citizen of that State, and held numerous 



98 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



high offices, among them being that of Secretary of State. Theodore 
Sedgwick, a man of national distinction in his day, studied and practiced 
law here for a few years. 

In later years other men, more or less known to fame, have found 
homes in this town. From 1840 to 1845, the Kev. Charles B. Boynton, 
previously engaged in business in West Stockbridge, preached in the 
Congregational church in Housatonic village; subsequently he became a 
well known preacher in Cincinnati, was chaplain of the XXXIXth and 
XLth Congresses, and wrote several books. His son, General H. V. 
Boynton, became the Washington correspondent of the Cincinnati Com- 
mercial Gazette, and another son, C. A. Boynton, Washington agent of 
the Western Associated Press. The Rev. Mr. Boynton's successor in 
Housatonic, was the Rev. J. T. Headley, famous for his biographies. 

The Pope house on South Main street, the old brick house built in 
176G, was the early home of Frank L. Pope, the eminent electrician, who 
explored Alaska and neighboring British America in the interest of the 
overland telegraph, who wrote " The Modern Practice of the Electric 
Telegraph," which has had a greater sale than all other works on elec- 
tricity put together, was chiefly instrumental in establishing the stock 
reporting business, was originator of the private line service, was in- 
ventor of the first and best electric signals for railways, and has been 
constantly active in literary and scientific work. Mr Pope owns the 
ancestral homestead and the north end of June Mountain, where he has 
built a small house in a sightly location, and will build a much finer 
house for his country home. The old house on Main street has been re- 
modeled, and while the ancient structure is maintained, its appearance 
has been vastly improved. Mr Pope's youthful associates here were 
Thomas Maguire, the late famous correspondent of the Boston Herald, 
and the late Merret Seeley, superintendent of the National Express Com- 
pany. Mr. Pope's younger brothers are well known among electricians : 
Ralph W. Pope for his services to the Gold and Stock Telegraph Com- 
pany, and, later, as editor of the Electrician and Electrical Engineer; and 
Henry W Pope as the chief organizer of the District Telegraph system 
of New York and eastern cities. 

Of the children of Judge Increase Sumner, one of the leading lawyers 
of the State during his long practice in this town, Samuel B. Sumner, of 
Bridgeport, Ct., was colonel of the Forty-ninth Massachusetts Regiment 
and a judge in his adopted city; Charles A. Sumner, of San Francisco, is 
one of the orators of the Pacific coast, where he has made a wide repu- 
tation as a talented journalist and politician; and Albert I. Sumner, the 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 99 



musician and composer, was lost in shipwreck. Some of the best busi- 
ness blood in Chicago, the most energetic city in the world, has gone 
from Berkshire, and among the representatives from Great Barriugton 
are Charles H. Fargo, one of the first men of the city; Rufus P. 
Pattison, James L. Pattison, and the late Henry K. Buell — all well- 
known business men. 

The Berkshire House avx) Other Accommodations. 

Summer and autumn guests find ample accommodations in public and 
private houses in Great Barrington. For many years the Berkshire 
House, in the village center, has been famous among people who come 
this way for its choice entertainment, and it never stood so high as under 
its present landlord, Caleb Ticknor. It is not so large nor so small that a 
guest feels lonesome; on the contrary, he becomes the member of a large 
family, as it were, where his comforts are looked after attentively, but 
not with obtrusion. Mr. Ticknor is one of the few men born to manage 
the affairs of an inn. His natural politeness, affability and accommo- 
dating disposition are such as to win for him the liking of all his guests 
Under such administration, the Berkshire House has attained an enviable 
reputation, and has become a choice resort for those who want to spend 
the season or a vacation at a hotel. 

The Collins House, in the south part of the village, under the proprie- 
torship of Alfred Peck, makes a specialty of summer and autumn guests. 
It has entertained many noted people, and is particularly agreeable in 
having a village situation and yet in being quiet and having country 
surroundings that are delightful. 

There are many boarding-houses in the village and among the farm 
houses outside, and several furnished houses may be hired for the 
season. 

The Miller House makes a specialty of accommodating travelers, and 
has never stood so well with the public as under the proprietorship of 
W. B. Loveland, for the last few years. 

The People Who Come Here. 
A stranger coming to Berkshire can find congenial, social surround- 
ings, no matter what his wants are ; but he must use discretion in 
selecting the place. Some idea of what Great Barrington offers has 
already been given, but the mention of at least a few of the people who 
come here is in order. Of the people previously named, nearly all who 
are living are visitors for long or short time. 



100 THE BOOK OF BEBKSHIBE. 

Referring to people who have other homes in cities or elsewhere, 
country homes are owned in Great Barrington by Mrs. Searles, of ''Kellogg 
Terrace;" Howard Ackerman, of New York: H. M. Johnson, of Buffalo; 
Frank L. Pope, Elizabeth, X. J., " TVildwood. " 

William E. Tefft, of the large dry goods house of Tefft, TVeUer & Co., of 
Xew York, has just completed " Elmwood," a large and tasteful dwell- 
ing, built on the former site of '' Jumbo Cottage." Col. W. L. Brown, 
proprietor of the Xew York Xeirs, bought the Major Gibbons place a 
few years ago and occupied it during the summer. In ISnS the house 
was burned down, and its place has been taken by a more pretenrious 
house, just finished (summer of 1S90). Among others having fine places 
here are William Stanley, a prominent Xew York lawyer, and his son 
WUliam Stanley, Jr. The latter is the electrician of the Westinghouse 
Company, and is an inventor with a well-established reputation. D. W. 
Morrison, a wealthy saddlery dealer of Xewark, X. J., has nearly com- 
pleted a comfortable home on the west slope, overlooking the town. 

Among those who have come here to retire to a country home are J. 
Milton Mackie, of Xew York; E. D. Brainard, from Albany. 

Within a few years houses were rented to these people : Mrs. Emma 
J. Peck, Brooklyn, X. Y. : Samuel L. Harris. Brooklyn; Miss Sarah E. 
Wickham. Brooklyn ; Mrs. J. H. Heroy, Xew York : E. A. Doup, Brook- 
lyn •. G. W. Peters, Newark. X. J. ; G. T. Harris, Philadelphia. Judge 
Dewey of the Superior Court is a regular summer visitor to Great Bar- 
rington, his former home. 

Among the Berkshire House guests within a year or so have been J. W. 
Emerson. A. P. Burbank. W. D. HoweUs, Edward G. Dickson, B. G. 
Talbert, W. E. Cooper. T. J. PeU, W. D. Ryder. Woodruff Sutton, all of 
Xew York; Capt. Henry Erben. of the Portsmouth Xavy Yard; J. M. 
Brookfield, William H. Wright. Abram Lowerre, all of Brooklyn; W. D. 
Bishop, Bridgeport, Ct; Frank A. Day, Boston; Prof. H. F. Walling, 
Cambridge. Mass. ; Thomas G. Ritch. C. H. Lounsbury. both of Stam- 
ford. Ct. : X. H. Sanford. Prof. James D. Dana, both of Xew Haven. 

At the Collins House. L. M. Bates, of Xew York, stayed several sea- 
sons. Among other guests have been the following: Mrs. B. H. Van 
Auken, William H. Bradford. S. Inslee. Jr. (of Calhoun. Bobbins .Sr Co.), 
John LeBoutiUier (of LeBoutillier Bros.). J. T. Sparkman, William O. 
Sumner, Leonard J. Carpenter, Samuel Keefer (proprietor Grand Central 
Hotel), all of Xew York; Mrs. E. Eeid, Xew Rochelle, X. Y. : William J. 
Sayres. John Tanderbiit, both of Brooklyn. 

Most of the boarding-houses of Berkshire accommodate from five to 



THE BOOK OF BEEK5HIBK. 101 

fifteen guests each. In the houses in and aronnd Great Barrington vil- 
lage, any one desiring entertainment will find everything to his comfort, 
and snch varied social surroundings that he will find anything to his 
liking. For young people, all sorts of outdoor sports are feasible, on 
land and water, with no lack of companions and contestants — in tennis, 
base ban, foot balL wheeling, swimming, boating, and so on. 

The mail facilities of Great Barrington are excellent- There are three 
mails each way between the town and New York. A letter mailed in 
Xew Tork in the evening is received here at 9.30 a. m., and a letter 
mailed here at 8 p. m- is received in New York at the first delivery. An 
Albany evening paper is received at 5 p. m., Xew York evening papers at 
S p. M. Xew York morning papers are received at 1 p. m. There is a 
Sunday mail, arriving from Xew York with morning papers at noon and 
letters mailed Saturday evening. 

A Patstebs' Paradise. 

For the last half century. Great Barrington has been known to many of 
our great masters of landscape painting. Here came Durand and Ken- 
sett, besides many of their associates, and here Bristol often has his 
summer home. Artist Church of Xew York, a famous landscape painter 
has spent several summers here. These lovers of the beautiful in scenery 
have sketched many of the picturesque views of the vicinity, and have 
done their share with Bryant to make the whole region classic 

Vakekd Scebks. 

HcDiy Pazfcer Itellows, who has made several canoe voyages, in a 
description of a canoe trip down the Housatonic in 15S1 says of the 
journey through Great Barrington : "The Housatonic is a confirmed 
coquette, const.^it2y flirting with one mountain range or another, and 
frequently several at the same time. * * » The sun after a while dis- 
appeared in a cloud of fire behind the Taconic Dome, which towers 
2,0Ci0 feet above the vaDey, a solemn mass of darkest green, while Monu- 
ment Mountain, at the other end of the valley, stood out in purplish 
glow, clear and distinct in the still air. I remember no river scene, in- 
deed, of greater beauty. The stream itself, too, was very beautiful. The 
banks on either side sloped down to tiie water's very edge of smooth 
turf, broken, however, by a clump of trees, or masses of clustering vines, 
and we occasionally passed a little inlet, nsoally gnuded by a martial 
array of cat-tails. » » • There is a stateBness and dignity about 
Great Barrington as great in reality as ite high-sounding name would 



102 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

imply. It is a rare combination of New England thrift and New York 
opulence. Beecher it is, I believe, who once declared that he never 
entered the village without wishing that he was never to leave it." 

" Octavia Hensel," referring to the scenes about town, tells how they 
will hold sway after they have become impressed upon the beholder: 
" Mount Peter will still rise high above the Housatonic meadow, its 
gray marble rocks half hidden by nodding hairbells and tufts of red 
columbine, and the village will peep out from the groves of elm and 
maple, while far to the north the Mountain of the Monument will fling 
its boldly curved outline against a turquoise sky. Over the winding 
oziers that border the Housatonic on the east, the great rock of East 
Mountain will rise in solitary grandeur above the dark green masses of 
the woodland hills, and reflect in splendor of topaz and amethyst the 
sunsets burning behind the distant Dome of purple Taconic's mighty 
range. Away to the south, the low mound of the Indian burial ground 
will lie an embankment across the shadowy Mahaiwe vale — an outpost to 
guard the village homes from the ghostly array which imagination pict- 
ures in the white birch forests stretching away to the Sheffield plain. 
To the west, reaching almost to the woodlands at the base of the great 
mountain dome, where the purple light deepens to Tyrian hues in the 
coming on of night, the Egremont plains will appear like an emerald 
clasped on the hills' imperial mantle." 

Housatonic. 

One of the busy, thriving and growing villages of the country is Housa- 
tonic, situated at the northern extremity of the town of Great Barrington. 
Here the wild and rugged precipitous western slope of Monument 
Mountain descends abruptly to the Housatonic Kiver, which dashes down 
rocky rapids and mill dams, in full sight of the traveler on the railway 
cars. Since 1850 the Monument Mills have been making cotton warps 
and, since 1866, the Wawbeek Mills, owned by the same company, have 
made Marseilles counterpanes of the highest quality. The Owen Paper 
Company has been in existence since 1856, and now makes some of the 
fine writing paper for which Berkshire is famous. The mercantile inter- 
ests of the village have grown with its manufacturing industries and a 
large trade now centers here that formerly went elsewhere. A large and 
handsome business block recently erected by the Monument Mills Com- 
pany near the railroad station contains stores and a large hall for public 
meetings. 

In the village of Van Deusenville, midway between Housatonic and 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIKE. 103 

the village of Great Barrington, a blast furnace for the manufacture of 
pig iron was built in 1834 ; since 1844, this has been owned and operated 
by the Richmond Iron Company. The product is some of the toughest 
and best iron made in the United States, and is unsurpassed for car 
wheels. The ore comes from West Stockbridge. 

Housatonic, and Van Deusenville as well, is finely situated with refer- 
ence to the natural attractions of the region. Stockbridge begins at once 
on the north of Housatonic, and Lenox is just beyond. The lower end 
of the romantic West Stockbridge valley begins at Housatonic, reaching 
northward a few miles to the beautiful country of Lebanon Springs and 
Queechy Lake. One of Berkshire's best surprises may be had by a short 
drive to Long Lake by the way of Williamsville ; the battlements of Monu- 
ment Mountain face the eastern storm three miles away; while all the 
glorious scenery of Southern Berkshire is southward and on every hand. 

Under the new life that has been given to Great Barrington within a 
few years, the town is coming into greater prominence than ever as 
a summer and autumn resort; and, while it is sought more than ever by 
appreciative tourists, and by the visitors of a week, a month, or a sea- 
son, it is also becoming highly valued, by people who retire from work 
or leave the city, as a most perfect location for Country Homes. 




Soldiers' Monument. 




*.-«^™.ijP--. PIXTSFIEI^O. 

^^^StepT' Yf ROUND the city of Pittsfield, the valley in 
.. „ ' fc==k which it lies, is practically a large amphi- 
f n / ip! theater, nearly hemmed in on all sides by 

1; jr'l ^\/ ...■■'Wi mountain ranges or high hills. Washington 

[^ M =::|:il Mountain walls in the city from the east; 

ij the valley narrows to the north, with occa- 

j - = li sional spurs of the mountains and hills in 

^ r; ' ■"'?*') -^ Lanesboro and Cheshire ; to the south are 
1;; -V ,_.jA :jM seen the South Mountain, and the range 
^ TpiMijiM l^M further west towards the Richmond line ; 
'~"^~ - ^^^ ^^^ ^j^^ west are the Taconics, with 

Perry's Peak in Richmond, and Potter 
Mountain to the northwest. This first city 
in the county, with its wide streets, stately elms, the thrift and intelli- 
gence of its inhabitants, at once apparent, and the general appearances 
on all hands, denoting substantial well being, — possessing all these, 
Pittsfield has a dignity, a maturity, a stability, that are impressed upon 
every visitor. 

Gbneeal Aspect. 

In Berkshire, where every one of its thirty-two towns has its own 
peculiar natural advantages and attractions, it is difficult to say what 
is the most pleasing or abounding most richly in that which is grandest 
and best. Pittsfield has six lakes, either wholly or in part within her 
borders, some of them of considerable size; and at each side of the 
town, east and west, flow the two sources of the Housatonic River, 
uniting nearly at its south border line. There is no end of "views," 
some of them bewitchingly grand, and many quiet nooks, suggestive of 
romance and legend; while, from almost any point, Greylock looms up in 
all its grandeur and pride, as though keeping sentinel over the northern 
portal to the valleys lying at its feet — the Hoosac and the Housatonic. 
Pittsfield, as seen from such an elevation as that on the hillsides of 
Washington up to Lake Ashley, or from Potter Mountain, with the great 



IOC) THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

village in the distance, and the two lakes, Onota and Pontoosuc, appar- 
ently at your feet — from South Mountain, or, in fact, from any point — is 
a lovely picture. 

Town Affairs. 

Pittsfield has a history peculiar to itself, from the earliest times taking 
pride in its traditions and its records, so that, whatever the angry debate 
of the town-meeting pr the internal dissensions there may have been 
over policy and measures for the government of its affairs, in the end the 
best has generally prevailed, the good judgment of the wisest and those 
having its affairs most deeply at heart has been finally adopted. 

Pittsfield has laid aside the old town form of government, which be- 
came her so well for more than a century, and has become the first city 
in Berkshire county. The charter was accepted by the voters in Feb- 
ruary, 1890, and the new city government will be inaugurated in January, 
1891. The government will consist of the mayor, a board of seven alder- 
men, and 14 common couucilmen, and the change is expected to be of 
great benefit to the town. In all but name, Pittsfield has been a city for 
some time. The population is now about 18,000, there are regularly 
organized police and fire departments, fire-alarm telegraph, fine water 
supply, carried letter delivery service, telephone facilities, electric lights, 
first-class sidewalks, a well-equipped street railway, and many other 
modern conveniences ordinarily found only in cities. The demand for a 
new form of government was imperative, and though many were loth 
to give up the old town-meeting, which in its plain democracy has 
been such a feature of Pittsfield, the majority voted for the change, and 
Pittsfield modestly takes her place in the lengthening list of the cities of 
the Commonwealth. But the change from a town to a city will not in 
any way make Pittsfield less desirable as a summer resort or as a per- 
manent home. It will still be the same beautiful place it has always 
been, with its broad, well-kept, shady streets, its air of refinement and 
prosperity, and its many other attractions which have won it the well- 
deserved title of "lovely Pittsfield." 

Railroad communication has done a great deal for Pittsfield, even 
before most of the other parts of the county were so highly favored; 
New York and Boston are only about-five hours away, with many trains 
daily each way. In 1868 the town became the county seat, and with that 
change has come the addition of the fine marble court house, opened in 
1871, as well as the jail, which is one of the places of interest in the 
town to visit. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 107 

The manufacturing of Pittsfield, while extensive and increasing, is to 
a great extent hidden away, as it were, in the extremities of the town, 
and there is little or none of it along the principal streets. There are 
several thx'iving and well kept manufacturing villages; so that, while 
adding wealth and prosperity, they are not as detrimental to its attract- 
iveness as a resort as they would be were the industries sandwiched in 
with handsome residences and its public buildings, or occupying its 
most attractive sites. 

A Healthy Aristocracy. 

The earliest settlers were among the best. Men with a reputation, 
men of influence, patriotic in time of war, and earnest in everything 
which, according to their judgment, augmented the interests of the 
town in an educational, social and religious sense. The famous "Fight- 
ing Parson Allen," when he left his sermon to participate in the Battle 
of Bennington, was a fair type of his parishioners then, and that same 
spirit prevails yet. It was early made a residence by a healthy aristoc- 
racy, not purse-proud or arrogant; but the history of the town shows 
that its wealth and its culture, its bravery and its social element, have 
all been the instrumentalities in keeping Pittsfield in the ranks of " the 
best," and her people all along its history have caught the spirit of 
the grandeur about them, vieing with each other — speaking in general 
terms — in making the town a pleasant and safe dwelling place for its peo- 
ple, and offering them all the advantages possible under the circumstances. 
The "old families," like the Pomeroys, the Williamses, the Aliens, the 
Francises, the Parkers, the Goodriches, the Churchills, the Colts, Dun- 
hams, Stearnses, Plunketts, Clapps, Campbells, Barkers, Brewsters, 
Merrills, Russells, Childses, Col. John Brown, and scores of other names, 
who have been instrumental in moulding the town in its early days, 
have in their descendants men and women who love Pittsfield because 
they think the good old town is worthy of it, which has a healthy 
stimulating influence on the rest of the community. Thus much for 
the social atmosphere of Pittsfield; and, year by year, the improve- 
ments in better things — better schools, better sidewalks, better homes, 
and, in fact, better government every way — goes on, to the end that the 
visitor seeking rest may be attracted to its gates and within its walls, 
while at the same time its own children may also be educated to know 
more of the better ways of living. 

The character of its visitors has, in a great degree, been moulded by 
its citizens, and during the past few years the attractions of Pittsfield, 



108 THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIKE. 



as well as other portions of Berkshire, have been very effectively set 
forth by the advertising literature of the Berkshire Life Insurance Com- 
pany, which, while advancing its own interests in a very praiseworthy 
manner, has also given the great world outside to know more and more 
of the attractions of Pittsfield and Berkshire than had been known 
before. 

A LiTEEAEY Tone. 

Pittsfield has, from its earliest time almost, been known as a literary 
town, and as one looks back over the pages of its history, so pleasantly 
and accurately told by J. E. A. Smith, he finds that there have been 
scholars and writers, poets and novelists, and others of that class, who 
have given the town a healthier atmosphere for their having lived within 
its borders. Its appropriations for schools are always large and gen- 
erous; its churches are, as a whole, prosperous and well supported, while 
the church edifices are in keeping with the spirit of the town — commo- 
dious, comfortable and attractive, without show or gaudiness. Its puljiits 
have always been filled by prominent clergymen of the type of Parson 
Thomas Allen, who for many years served at the First church, taking an 
active part in moulding its affairs and those of the town, so that the 
present generation is reaping the benefits of his teaching. There were 
the Rev. Dr. Heman Humphrey; the Rev. Dr. John Todd, whose mem- 
ory is still green in Pittsfield, whose books have gladdened many hearts 
and been translated into many tongues; the Rev. Dr. William C. Rich- 
ards, who for some time officiated at the Baptist church, a poet and 
scholar; while, later, came the Rev. J. L. Jenkins of the First church. 
Rev. William Wilberforce Newton of St. Stephen's, an author of note and 
the originator of the plan for the Church Congress, whereby all denom- 
inations may work in unity — a creation worthy of the grand old town in 
which it first saw the light of day and the liberal, progressive men wlio 
originated it. 

Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, a lineal descendant of Jacob Wendell, one 
of the early proprietors of the territory now comprising the town, was 
for a long time a summer resident, and still keeps up his attachment for 
Pittsfield. Henry W. Longfellow was a frequent visitor at the summer 
home of his father-in-law, and Herman Melville resided for many years 
at "Arrowhead." 

For many years Pittsfield was the seat of the Berkshire Medical Col- 
lege, whose graduates are still among the foremost in the profession in 
different parts of the country. The late Dr. Josiah G. Holland was a 
student at this institution at one time. "Maplewood," originally a 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 109 



cantonment for troops during the war of 1812, had for a long time been 
known as a young ladies' school, with beautiful grounds. The property 
in 1SS7, passed into the hands of H. L. Plumb, formerly of Stockbridge, 
who, with Arthur W. Plumb, previously a popular assistant at the Stock- 
bridge house, keeps here a choice summer hotel. Arthur W. Plumb now 
owns the property, and is making Maplewood one of the most popular 
summer hotels in New England. " Springside " once a flourishing boys' 
school is now used as a summer hotel, and is conducted very success- 
fully by Mrs. Tetley, and Miss Saulsbury's young ladies' school is still in 
successful operation. As early as 1796 several libraries were founded, 
and in 1S50 a young men's association was formed. Its library building, 
the Athenfeum, is the gift of the late Thomas Allen, of St. Louis, who 
went out from Pittsfield a poor boy, carving his way to fame and fortune. 
Its shelves contain several thousand volumes of the best books, while 
the reference library is a fine one. Its benefits are absolutely free to all 
the people of the town, which appro;; riates liberally to its support until 
the bequest of about $60,000 by the late Phineas Allen becomes available, 
which will then make it self-supporting. Its museum, reading room and 
art gallery are well worth a visit, and the privilege of taking books is 
allowed to the summer visitors on the payment of a small guaranty fee. 
There are held the debating societies that wish to occupy its rooms; the 
ladies have their meetings there for their Wednesday Morning Club, of 
which Miss Anna L. Dawes, daughter of Senator Dawes, was the chief 
promoter, and before which association there have been lectures of a 
high order from time to time. These meetings are held during the sum- 
mer. The Berkshire Historical and Scientific Society also holds its 
quarterly meetings there, and, in a word, it is the center of the educa- 
tional interests of the town. 

Local Associations. 
Pittsfield from an early date has always been social, and many new 
associations abound. It is the boast of Pittsfield that it has more socie- 
ties, secret, and for literary and other purposes, than almost any other 
place of its size in the State. Nearly all the secret orders are represented 
in Pittsfield, and one of its Masonic lodges dates back its origin to about 
1795. The Monday Evening Club, an institution of the town, of which 
Thomas F. Pluukett was chief organizer, is composed of a limited mem- 
bership of twenty-five prominent gentlemen in the town, who meet fort- 
nightly during the winter months at the houses of the members, the 
host usually reading a paper, and a discussion following, afterwards 



110 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

coming the spread. Few towns of its size iu the State have a similar 
organization as flourishing as this. The Business Men's Association, 
organized in 1881, has a membership of about 125 of the leading men of 
the town and vicinity, having an elegant suite of rooms in the Central 
Block fitted up for social purposes, which are resorted to by its members 
for the discussion of business or other matters, and pleasant games, 
without gambling. Its rooms are always open to gentlemen visiting or 
sojourning in the town. The Academy of Music has a large stage, and, 
such is the local appreciation of the best drama and music, that frequent 
entertainments are here given by the best theatrical companies. Its coli- 
seum is also utilized for fairs and large gatherings. 

Within the " City Limits." 

The roads of Pittsfield embrace some of the finest drives in the county. 
The city's principal streets, North, South, East, and West, diverging 
from the Park, are wide, straight, and lined with huge trees, mainly elms 
and maples, on each side. On North and South streets is a clear view 
from the High School building (the former location of the Medical Col- 
lege) to Maplewood, of nearly a mile; and in summer especially, so 
hidden are the buildings, that the eye seems to look through a long 
avenue of trees. Down East street is another broad view, for half a 
mile, with great trees each side, and back from the highway are beauti- 
ful and cozy residences, with well-kept lawns and yards. A street 
railway is in operation, extending from the railroad station to North 
street, up to Wahconah street, Bel Air, Pontoosuc, and to the lake of 
that name. 

Where Visitors Live. 

Among the many noted inns that the town has had, an old one, built 
in the last century, after being closed for years, was reopened in 1885 — 
the Homestead Inn, on East street. This building has now been demol- 
ished to make room for the new residence of H. W. Bishop, of Chicago. 
The Berkshire Life Insurance Company's building stands on the "Berk- 
shire Corner," which was the site of the famous old Berkshire Hotel, 
whose Federalist landlord, in 1808, refused to furnish a dinner for Dem- 
ocrats, who were compelled to make their repast in a neighboring 
orchard. Pittsfield now has the American House, owned by Major 
Quackenbush, formerly of the Stanwix Hall, Albany, and managed by 
Plumb & Clark; the Burbank House, opposite the railway station, and in 
summer Maplewood and Springside. A popular house for permanent or 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIBE. Ill 



transient boarders is Wendell Hall on Wendell avenue ; there is the attract- 
ive house of Mrs. Backus, on South street, which was the resting place of 
Lieutenant Greeley in the summer of 1885. Maplewood is a delightful 
stopping place, and is excellently managed by Mr. Plumb. Its large 
buildings at the upper end of North street are set back from the road, 
and the grounds are unusually pleasant and attractive. It entertains 
hundreds of guests each year, from New York, Boston, Washington, 
Philadelphia, Chicago, Brooklyn and other places, and the scores of 
coaching parties which " do" Berkshire every summer never fail to stop 
at Maplewood. '* Springside," further up the street is finely located, 
and from its windows are obtained the most charming views of the city 
and its surroundings. Its grounds are large and nicely laid out. 

In the center of the city is Park Square, which, up to 1812, was an 
open space where the noted "Pittsiield Elm " lived for untold years and 
fell in 1864, from old age, leaving many to sorrow for its loss as that of 
an old friend. In 1825 the appearance of the plat was improved for the 
purpose of making a suitable place for an ovation given to General 
Lafayette, who visited Pittsiield that year. Here, in 1809, the first " cat- 
tle show " in the country — a simple display of a few animals — was held, 
giving to Pittsfield the honor of holding the first agricultural fair in this 
country. The Park occupies a sightly location and is held in high esti- 
mation locally, more particularly, perhaps, by old-time residents. Here 
is located the unique Pittsfield Soldier's Monument — "The Color Ser- 
geant," by Launt Thompson— which stands on the western approach of 
the Park. On the occasion of the dedication of this monument, in Sep- 
tember, 1872, there was present the largest assemblage ever witnessed in 
Pittsfield. On the north and south shields are inscribed the names of 
the Pittsfield soldiers who fell in the war; on the west are the arms of 
the United States and on the east the arms of the Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts, in bronze relief. The monument consists of a pedestal, 
base, shaft and capital, the capital being enriched by a wide abacus, on 
which the statue stands and by wreaths of laurel in high relief. It is 
built of light-colored granite from Millstone Point quarries, near New 
London, Ct., and cost $10,000. On the west face is this inscription: — 
"For the Dead a Tribute : for the Living a Memory: for Posterity an 
Emblem of Loyalty to the Flag of their Country." On the east face:— 
" With Grateful Recognition of the Services of All Her Sons who Upheld 
the Honor and Integrity of our Beloved Country in the Hour of Peril, 
the Town of Pittsfield Erects this Monumentin Loving Memory of Those 
Who Died that the Nation Might Live." 




I. — Wonderful Birch 
-Pontoosuc Lake. 4.- 



Tree Near Lanesboro 
Onota Lake. 



Line. 2.— Wahconah Falls, Windsor. 



the book of bekkshibe. 113 

Beautiful Onota Lake. 

The lakes of Pittsfield are an important feature of its attractiveness, 
and every year the two principal ones have become resorts either for a 
day's pleasure or for camping parties. Onota Lake, formerly called 
West Pond, is one of the largest, at the same time one of the most beauti- 
ful, sheets of water in the whole county. From various points along its 
shores some of the most beautiful views in the region are obtainable, 
especially from the southwestern, where in the days of the French and 
Indian wars, there were fortifications. In front of the beholder are the 
Washington Mountains ; to the northeast, as one stands facing the east, 
are the hills of Windsor, many miles away; to the north, Greylock and 
the other peaks in the neighborhood are clearly seen, and still further to 
the east, the Green Mountain range above Adams; to the south is the 
mountain defining the southern boundary of the basin in which Pittsfield 
is situated. A charming view is obtained from the field of Mr. Chapman, 
whose farm extends along the western border of the lake. The lake lies 
in a pretty upland basin, and contains, since its enlargement in 1864, 683 
acres. Prior to this enlargement it was practically two independent 
lakes, the smaller one being formed by a dam or causeway, thrown 
across by the beavers. Its west shore was a wall of pebbles and 
boulders thrown up by the action of the ice. The lake is easy of access 
and can be driven to from nearly every point. Under the compromise of the 
will of the late Abraham Burbank, Pittsfield becomes the possesor of some 
fifty acres of land lying along the east shore of the lake. The compromise 
has yet to be passed upon by the Supreme Court, and if approved will 
give the city a charming resort. It will be improved, and will be known 
*as "The Burbank Memorial Park." 

Pontoosuc Lake. 
Pontoosuc Lake, two miles north of the center, is the next largest in 
size and lies partly in Lanesboro. It was enlarged as a reservoir, in 
1867, so that its present area is 575 acres. The highway skirts its eastern 
shore, aad is one of the popular drives out of Pittsfield. At the lower 
end, in Pittsfield, are two lovely pine groves, where camping and picnic- 
ing parties find a day's outing most enjoyable. From this place the 
view to the north is delightful, taking in the hills farther on in Lanes- 
boro, with Greylock beyond, Constitution Hill and others, while to the 
west are the Taconics, two miles away, the reflection of whose peaks in 
a bright day is plainly seen on the bosom of the placid lake. Gunn's 
Grove, a point on the northwest shore, is also a delightful camping 



114 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

ground. The south end of the lake is the northern termius of the horse 
railroad and it has come to be one of the most popular spots in the 
county. Several fine pavilions have been built upon its shores, several 
small steamers and scores of smaller craft have been launched upon its 
surface, and other necessary accessories have been provided. During the 
summer months, hundreds of private picnic parties spend the day here. 

Other Lakes. 

Richmond Lake is practically a reservoir, in both Richmond and Pitts- 
field, and has been enlarged vrithin a few years for the accommodation 
of the factories on Shaker Brook, which flows from it. It contains about 
250 acres, but it has not the attractions of the other lakes, and is there- 
fore not a place of resort. Silver Lake, in the east part of the village, 
contains about sixty acres, and with a little improvement might be con- 
verted into a pleasant resort for boating; a drive around its shores has 
been talked of. Sylvan Lake is about half the size of Silver Lake, but is 
not important. Morewood Lake, known to some as Melville Lake, and 
by others Lily Bowl, is in the south part of the town, near South Moun- 
tain, and covers about thirty-five acres. It is almost hidden from view 
in the trees along its banks, and its waters are fed largely from clear 
springs. It being to a gi-eat extent private property, it is not resorted to 
by the general public. It can be seen from the Housatonic Railroad 
trains. 

Streams are numerous and many of them picturesque, in different 
parts of the town. Some of them still afford passably good fishing, 
though of late years the supply has diminished. The town maintains a 
sportsmen's club, composed of prominent gentlemen of the village, and 
there is also a well sustained association of marksmen, who make 
visitors, having a taste in that direction, welcome to the use of their 
range just outside the limits of the village. 

The Cemetery. 

The principal cemetery of Pittsfield is the finest in Berkshire, and is a 
little more than a mile from the Park. It is a portion of a farm of 150 
acres, and is in the control of a corporation. It is i^icturesque in the 
extreme. Trees and wooded slopes dot the landscape, while from the 
higher grounds a beautiful view of the village is obtained. There are 
several pretty drives through the undulating grounds, which are often 
resorted to by those who wish to spend a quiet hour. Thomas Allen of 
St. Louis, who dearly loved the home of his birth, bequeathed $5,000 for 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 115 



the erection of a suitable gateway, and his monument, a monolith of 
polished Scotch granite is probably as large a shaft, quarried from a 
single stone, as can be found in any other cemetery. The cemetery ded- 
ication, in 1S50, -was in keeping with the spirit of the city. Everybody 
attended the ceremonies; there was a procession formed at the park 
which marched to the grounds in solemn order; an address was made ; 
Oliver Wendell Holmes read a poem, for he was no stranger to Pittsfield; 
and there were oi'iginal odes sung, composed by former residents of the 
city. There is a healthy pride, in the case of the cemetery. This 
grows every year, in making it attractive to the visitor. 

Outdoor Sports. 

The Pleasure Park is about a mile east of the center of the city. This 
was organized by a number of the leading gentlemen of the town years 
ago as a private course for driving, with a commodious house within the 
enclosure. Here are annually held several interesting races, and it has 
also been the scene of some spirited bicycle races. The grounds of the 
Berkshire Agricultural Society, two miles north of the village, have also 
a good track, and the annual " cattle show" is a feature of Pittsfield in 
September which attracts large crowds during the four days' exhibition. 
Of late years the showing of standard bred trotting stock has come to be 
one of the leading features of the occasion. The finely bred horses 
from the W. R. Allen and the W. F. Gale stock farms at Pittsfield, the 
Elizur Smith farm at Lee, and the Payne farm at Hinsdale, are shown, 
and a finer lot of horses is not shown anywhere in this country. From 
this elevated position, still another view of the town is obtained, differ- 
ent from all others. 

Pittsfield is also the headquarters of the Berkshire County Wheelmen's 
organization, nearly all of whose members are connected with the League, 
and they have an elegant suite of rooms fitted up in the England block, 
in the center of the city. Excursions during the season are of almost 
weekly occurrence, and there are some of the finest tours to be taken, 
with Pittsfield as the center of the radius, in all the county. The young 
men connected with the organization are from among the best, and 
their rooms are open to their brethren whenever they are in the town. 

• The Leading Residents. 
As before stated, Pittsfield early became the dwelling place of a most 
excellent class of citizens, who made the town the place of their abode 
for years, became identified with its good name and its interests, and 



116 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

many of the old homes still remain. As a rule they were large and 
roomy, and some of them, even in their dilapidation, give evidence of 
the hearty good cheer and hospitality that mu8t have reigned within. 

From the Park east, as one strolls leisurely down the way, there is the 
country seat that belonged to Thomas Allen, a substantial stone structure, 
with delightful grounds, and the family yet cherish its cozy surround- 
ings. Just beyond, and opposite, on the site of the old Pomeroy home- 
stead, stands the new residence of Henry W. Bishop. It is of pure old 
colonial style and is a notable addition to the Fifth avenue of Pittsfield. 

On Bartlett avenue, named in honor of the brave General William F. 
Bartlett, whose life was peacefully breathed out in Pittsfield, are several 
beautiful specimens of cottage architecture. The Episcopal rectory is 
situated on Bartlett avenue. On the north side of East street, fronting 
Bartlett avenue, is the house of ex-Senator Jones, formerly the home of 
Colonel George S. Willis, a public spix'ited citizen and once the high 
sheriff of the county. 

Farther along on East street ai'e the homes of Cashier Warriner, the 
new cottage of Dr. W. F. Paddock, the place where W. B. Cooley (now 
dead) used to live, the home of Dr. J. .M. Brewster, and the Mrs. 
Clapp homestead, in an inviting location. The old homestead of Dr. 
Brewster, the elder, is now the site of the handsome new house of W. Pi. 
Allen, of St. Louis, which is one of the most expensive as well as one of 
the model houses of the county. Beyond lives Jabez L. Peck, active in 
the upbuilding of the town, and near by was the home of N. G. Brown, 
when living. On the south side of the street, and somewhat back, is 
the Ensign H. Kellogg homestead, standing back from the street, with 
its shady lawn, its vine covered columns, a substantial brick house, one 
of the old landmarks of the town. 

Further east is the Thomas F. Plunkett house, now the home of Mrs. 
H. M. Plunkett. This was the home of Thomas Gold, who, tradition 
says, though the story has been exploded, sat in an upper chamber and 
witnessed his own funeral as the procession passed away to the ceme- 
tery. It was necessary, it was said, that, owing to some iiuancial trans- 
actions, he should be dead, and, after the funeral was over, he made his 
escape to other lands. In this house the famous poem, " The Old Clock 
on the Stairs," by Longfellow, was written, and the clock remains to 
this day in the same hall-way. 

This house commands a fine view from the summit of a knoll. Mrs. 
Plunkett may claim the honor of being one of the pioneers in the organ- 
ization of the present sanitary system and the boards of health, urging 



THE BOOK OF BEEKSHIBE. 117 



the subject to her husband during his legislative terms until it finally 
became a law, and from Massachusetts the system has extended to other 
States. She is the author of a widely circulated book, among other 
works, on " Sanitary Plumbing." The dwellings of James W. Hull, Dr. 
W. E. Yermilye and Congressman F. W. Rockwell are on Appleton 
avenue, just south of East street. 

At the foot of East street are the homes of Mrs. W. M. Root and of the 
late W. G. Backus, while near by, on Elm street, is a plain, nearly square 
house, the residence of Senator Henry L. Dawes. He came to Pittsfield 
many years ago, and has been in hearty accord with all its improvements 
and watched its prosperity with great interest. His daughter. Miss Anna 
L. Dawes, president of the Wednesday Morning Club, is a lady of literary 
talent and accomplishments. Elm street, aci'oss the east branch of the 
Housatonic River, is a lovely walk or drive, and further on is the resi- 
dence of Mrs William Pollock, at " Grey tower," which is one of the 
most magnificent country seats in all Massachusetts. On William street, 
near the Pollock property, is the new summer home of E. T. Sampson, of 
New York, which in many ways is one of the most complete in its grounds, 
outbuildings, and the residence of the gentleman itself, in all Pittsfield. 
His location commands a sweep of vision for many miles around ; and 
the view to the south is especially bewitching. Farther east, Mrs. Ogden, 
of New York, and her sou- in-law, F. T. West, of New York, will finish 
this season two cottages for summer occupancy which are also eligibly 
situated. There are several shady roads and pleasant drives in this part 
of the city toward Lenox and Washington. On the middle road to 
Lenox, we come to the f;irm of Col. Walter Cutting, which, as "Canoe 
Meadow," was occupied for some time by Oliver Wendell Holmes, whose 
grandfather in the maternal line settled in this town in 1735. For the 
cattle show of 1849, he composed and read his poem " The Ploughman." 
Col. Cutting has a fine herd of Guernsey cattle at this farm. The country 
seat of John Kernochan is also on this delightful drive. A short distance 
south is the famous "Abbey Lodge," owned for several years by Col. 
Richard Lathers, of New York, and which from time to time was the 
place of entertainment of noted visitors to Berkshire. 

The Western Pakt of the City. 

On Jubilee Hill, west of the railway station, still remains the Dr. Childs 

homestead, from which some fine views of the city may be obtained. 

On this hill the famous Berkshire jubilee was held. The houses of 

Cashier E. S. Francis, and " Prospect Villa," erected byS. V. R, Daniels, 



118 THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIBE. 

are prominent here. From this point the eye takes in new beauties not 
seen in any other part of the center, there being an unobstructed view for 
many miles in all directions. The Governor George N. Briggs place lies to 
the westward. Turning north from here for a moment, through Onota 
street, there is a lovely drive ; the village lying to the east, and Greylock 
full in one's face. This road can be followed for two miles nearly to the 
west entrance of the cemetery. In some respects West street is the 
handsomest drive in town. The Crook farm, owned at one time by Mr. 
Crook, the famous New York restaurateur, with its mammoth barn, 
occupies a fine and commanding site. Methodism had its first meeting 
house in this part of the town, although the first preaching was in the 
east part, where the eccentric Lorenzo Dow at one time preached. For 
nearly three miles West street is almost straight; in many places finely 
shaded, and a beautiful landscape greets the eye during its entire length 
to the eastern base of the Taconic Mountain in Hancock, and thence to 
Lebanon Springs, to which it is the direct highway. 

A little more than a mile out is Onota lake, on whose southeastern shore 
is the country seat of H. C. Valentine, of New York. It has been exten- 
sively improved since its ownership by Mr. Valentine, whose grounds of 
meadow and lawn and wood are among the finest in Pittsfield. It was 
occupied for one season by Minister Thornton, of Great Britain. Mr. 
Valentine's extensive farm is a little southwest, overlooking a valley 
which presents many attractions to the eye. Attorney General A. J. 
Waterman has also a farm as a country residence near by, and the neigh- 
boring F. A. Hand estate is attractive. Directly opposite is Mrs. Buck- 
ingham's summer home. A little farther on is the Chapman farm, which 
was bought a few years ago by Wirt D. Walker, a Chicago lawyer, who 
has made a charming place out of the old farm house, and he is to build 
a villa on his own land on the west shore of Onota lake, which commands 
a charming view. Turning to the north through Churchill street, the 
road is along a romantic drive for some miles, through a farming section 
of the town, to the famous "North Woods" district. Fi'om the eleva- 
tions along the route, many fine views of Lake Onota, and the hills east 
and the range in which Greylock is always in the center, are obtained 
A drive on through the " North Woods " district brings one in view of the 
Shaker Promised Land, or Holy Ground, in Hancock. 

South of West street there is a fine drive to Stearnsville, with the South 
Mountain and Osceola Mountain beyond, and to the right the valley 
stretching on towards Richmond and West Stockbridge. On West street 
is the city's farm, where the poor and mild insane are well cared for — 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSIIIRE. 119 

an interesting place to visit for an hour. One of the attractions of the 
street is to drive a short distance farther, rising the hill into Hancock, 
when the eye to the east, back over the way, to the north and the south 
takes in a kaleidoscope of natural beauty, that once looked upon can 
never be forgotten. 

Attractions on the North. 

Up North street is Maplewood, with its attractive grounds, opposite 
which is the home of T. A. Oman, which was occupied one year by the 
late ex-Senator David L. Yulee, of Florida, who had as his guest the 
late Dr. J. Marion Sims, the famous surgeon. Senator Eustis, of Missis- 
Bippi, has lived on the corner of Bradford and North streets. Near 
Maplewood is the fine Catholic church and grounds and the parochial 
residence of Father Purcell, the veteran priest of the county. Opposite 
this is the new Unity church, a neat frame edifice which shelters a young 
but prosperous Unitarian society. Going further north, we come to the 
House of Mercy, created and sustained by the ladies of Pittsfield — the 
model cottage hospital of Massachusetts. This charity was supple- 
mented in 1889 by the erection of the HenryjW. Bishop, 3d, memorial 
training school for nurses. This was built and furnished by Henry W. 
Bishop, of Chicago, as a memorial to a beloved son, who died while a 
student at Williams College. The building is a commodious three-story 
brick building, complete in every detail, and a most valuable accessory 
to the House of Mercy. A short way further is " Springside," before 
referred to, and on the summit of the hill is the property of the Davols, 
who maintain this as the summer retreat for their families; a bewitch- 
ing landscape is here presented. The Learned farm, a short way beyond, 
is now owned by W. F. Gale and used as a stock farm, where much fine 
stock is bred. 

On North street, near the House of Mercy, is Wahconah street, leading 
to the main entrance of the cemetery. This road can be continued on to 
the village of Bel Air, past the grounds of the Agricultural Society, to 
Taconic, and again to Pontoosuc. At Bel Air a fine drive can be taken to 
the west, past Russell's and Peck's mills, bearing a little north on the 
Hancock road, over Potter Mountain, in that town. It is a popular drive, 
through a quiet portion of Pittsfield, and the scenery, while not so grand, 
is still very attractive. The road to Potter Mountain is taken by bearing 
again to the west; directly ahead is the road to the famous Balanced 
Rock, in Lanesboro; or the drive may be continued, after pausing a while 
to view this wonderful freak of Nature, past the Hurlbut farm, and 



120 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

crossing the north end of Pontoosuc Lake, taking the road again from 
Lanesboro to Pittsfield, on the east shore of the lake, and making a very 
pleasant half-day's excursion. 

In thft. northeast part of the city, on Burbank street, is the Judge B. 
E. Curtis place, which half a century or so ago, was one of the finest 
country seats in the town. Judge Curtis, who was a judge of the United 
States Supreme Court, made Pittsfield his summer residence for some 
time. From this house is obtained a lovely view to the south, east and 
west, which in some respects has but few, if any, equals in Pittsfield. 
From the higher ground back of this property the valley below and on 
to the north is a perfect panorama of loveliness and the locality is easily 
reached as a drive. The place is now leased to and has been occupied 
for two or three seasons past, by Count DeCerkez, of Paris. Further 
east is the *' Maplehurst" farm of Mrs. Thomas Allen, where there is 
probably one of the finest as well as the most expensive herd of Jerseys 
in all Berkshire. On the north end of this farm, on the new Dalton road, 
are also some very fine views, especially looking to the north, with Grey- 
lock in the foreground. 

Near the Coltsville Junction is the farm of W. Russell Allen, where he 
formerly kept a fine herd of Percheron horses. In 1889 Mr. Allen laid 
out more than $100,000 in fitting up this farm for the breeding and train- 
ing of high bred trotting stock, and purchased some $200,000 worth of 
the finest bred horses in the country. Three very large barns were built, 
forming three sides of a square, the other side being partly filled by the 
residence of the manager. In the center of the square was built a water 
tower, and around the whole was laid out a half-mile race track. Near 
by were erected three cottages for the occupancy of the men employed 
on the place. Water is brought to the barns in pipes from the old Bene- 
dict farm, farther north, which Mr. Allen pui'chased, and every stall is 
supplied with running water. A road has been cut from the barns to the 
new Dalton road which passes the place, and the entrance is to be graced 
with a handsome granite gateway. This is the finest stock farm in New 
England, and the buildings form a prominent spot on the landscape. At 
Coltsville is the Crane government mill, where the distinctive paper 
used by the government for the printing of bank bills, the postal 
note paper, and bond paper for numerous governments, are manufac- 
tured. The Unkamet Brook, flowing near the Pittsfield & North Adams 
railroad and into the Housatonic, has its source up in the meadows and 
the swamp in the northeast portion of the town, within a few feet of the 
source of the little brook feeding the stream flowing north towards 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 121 

Cheshire and into the Hoosac River. Thus the common fountains of two 
rivers are so close that it often depends upon chance which of the drops 
buhhling up side by side in the springs at the common source shall flow 
into Unkamet Brook and thence to the Housatouic and reach the sea 
down in Long Island Sound, or to the other, tlius swelling the source of 
the Hoosac River, flowing north, thence to the Hudson River and the sea 
in that manner. So slight is the slope of the valley bottom, according to 
the surveys, that a dam raised four feet above the level of the highway 
at Coltsville would turn Unkamet Brook and the waters of the branch 
of the Housatonic coming in from Dalton northward into the Hoosac 
and thence to the Hudson. 

To the west from Coltsville station is the handsome villa and farm of W. 
F. Milton, a New York merchant, in trade with China for some years, who 
came to Berkshire and Pittsfield, first as a summer visitor. His house 
is a model of architecture and each of its rooms is fitted up with dif- 
ferent woods. He has probably the finest collection of bric-a-brac in 
Chinese curios, and also in fine bronzes, in Berkshire. Mr. Milton's 
view of the valley is peculiar and indescribable. North of his place, on 
the hills east of Lanesboro, the drive has many attractive features and 
fine views. Next west of Mr, Milton's is the farm of Zenas Crane, Jr., 
with its fine herd of Guernsey cattle and notable barn. Another pano- 
rama is here opened out, and away to the east and the north, on beyond 
Greylock, even, the eye wanders seeing new beauties at every turn. The 
admirer of fine cattle with choice pedigrees, and of a well-kept and well- 
tilled farm will find pleasure in viewing Mi-. Crane's possessions in this 
line. If desired, turning from this place, a fine drive is had, past the 
house formerly owned by Oren Benedict and now owned by Russell Allen 
on the highway which has its junction with the Dalton road. Going far- 
ther west from Mr. Crane's farm, rising a little higher, are some other 
good views, especially to the west, and of the Taconics, with Greylock 
still at the north, and this highway has its junction with that running 
north from the center to Pontoosuc. The drive from the center, east past 
the Curtis place to the junction, then to Coltsville, thence west and past 
the dwellings of Messrs Milton and Crane, to Taconic and then south 
past the Davol country seat, is one of the finest in the city. 

In the Southwest. 

In the direction of Barkerville and Stearnsville, beyond the west branch 

of the Housatonic, is the house of Mrs. Pomeroy, built a few years ago. 

Keeping directly south from the Shaker Brook, the road runs on the 



122 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

high ground and is a fine drive, with the Taconics to the west, and on 
the left tlie Lenox range, South Mountain and Mount Osceola to the left 
and south. If this highway is followed, not turning west when above 
Barkei'ville, a pleasant trip is made on towards West Stockbridge or 
Richmond. Another drive from this highway a little south of the point 
of divergence with the other Barkerville road, is to turn east, following 
the highway known as South Mountain street, which joins the Lenox 
road near the Morewood property. 

Barkerville is the birthplace of Judge James M. Barker, of the Supe- 
rior Court. A mile west are the Hancock Shakers, quite as often known 
as the Pittsfield Shakers. This community is partly in both towns of 
Hancock and Pittsfield, and is among the oldest of the sect of the coun- 
try. They have foiir families, with all the auxiliaries of a typical Shaker 
community, though their church is not opened to the public as at Leba- 
non, a few miles farther beyond, over the mountain, and to which this 
is the principal highway. The Hancock or Pittsfield Shakers own sev- 
eral square miles in the two towns in Massachusetts and in Lebanon 
over the line in New York, and have been here for more than a century. 
Their community is a pleasant place to visit, and they entertain callers 
simply, but agreeably. 

Down South Street. 

Down South street, elegaut in shade and quietude, is the Martin prop- 
perty, one of the oldest houses in the town. Just beyond is the new 
Berkshire Home for Aged Women, a charity originated by Rector Newton 
of St. Stephen's church. The handsome new building was the gift of the 
Crane family, of Dalton, who in building it, carried out the expressed de- 
sign of the late Zenas Marshall Crane. The building also shelters the 
Union for Home Work — a most practical charity. Further south is the 
bouse of Thomas F. Pingree, the homestead owned by Ezekiel R. Colt, 
when living, the Dr. Strong villa. The houses of the late S. W. Bower- 
man, the brothers West — John C. and Gilbert —the homestead of Daniel 
Stearns, a manufacturer in the past, and of F. W. Hinsdale, are situated 
on this street. The home of Mrs. Redfield, opposite the high school, has 
been occupied for several seasons by a New York publishei*. Down the 
hill is the residence of J. N. Dunham, president of the Springfield 
Fire and Marine Insurance Company, The road crosses the Housatonic 
at this point, and in the deep pool by the bridge occurred the romantic 
suicide of a young lady student at Maplewood, whose rashness was the 
result of disappointed love, and at the time made a sensation in all the 



THE BOOli OF BEIiKSHIRE. 123 



region. It is often referred to yet, and was the foundation of a roman- 
tic novel. 

Half a mile farther on, we come to " Broadhall," the Morewood prop- 
erty, and known by many as the Melville place. It has a history full of 
interest, and it is but little changed since it was erected, in 1781, by 
Henry Van Schaack. At sundry times it has been used as a boarding 
house, and among its guests have been Longfellow, Hawthorne, Herman 
Melville, President Tyler, and many others of note. A few years ago it 
was the summer home of Count and Countess Llewenhaupt, the Danish 
minister, and many foreign notables were their occasional guests. To 
the southeast is the Melville estate, named " Arrowhead," from the 
Indian relics found near by. Some of the best writings of Herman Mel- 
ville were written here, among them being " Moby Dick," the '* Piazza 
Tales," " My Chimney and I," and " October Mountain," the name being 
taken from a neighboring mountain of that name. Beyond the More- 
wood estate the road passes under the shadow of South Mountain, known 
as Snake Hill from its tortuous windings, and from the summit one looks 
down into the city of Pittsfield with delight. A good road was built 
to the top of this mountain recently by Chai'les Wakefield, and accom- 
modations for picnic parties are provided on the mountain. It is now a 
popular resort, and a most delightful spot. A striking view of Greylock 
to the north, the hills to the east and west as far as the eye can reach, 
makes a pleasing picture. 

On East Housatonic street are the homes of Judge Barker, ex-Lieu- 
tenant Governor and Judge Joseph Tucker and his brother, George H. 
Tucker (the treasurer of the county), Henry W. Taft (the clerk of the 
courts), and the homestead of Henry W. D wight, superintendent of the 
American Express Company. In the Dwight homestead, when occupied 
by the Rev. William Wilberforce Newton as an Episcopal rectory, was 
the birthplace of the " Congress of Churches," an idea which has crys- 
tallized into a grand, progressive plan of church unity. Mr. Newton's 
charming sketch, " The Priest and the Man," was finished here. On the 
corner of East Housatonic and Gold avenue is where Judge James D. 
Colt lived, and opposite is the new residence of Frank W. Dutton. 
Across the avenue is the John L. Colby place, now owned by a Chicago 
gentleman. Farther on is the dwelling of Treasui-er Adam, of the sav- 
ings bank. On Wendell avenue, at " Wendell Hall," was the home of 
the late General W. F. Bartlett; here are the homes of Col. Walter Cut- 
ting, James H. Hinsdale, and also the Joslyn estate, whose owner was 
interested in hotels in Boston and New York — the Buckingham and oth- 



12-4 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

ers— f or many years ; the homes of Thacldeus Clapp, O. W. Kobbins, 
Frank Russell, D. M. Collins, Frank D. Taylor, and architect H. Neill 
Wilson, Dr. J. F. A. Adams are on the same street. Mr. Wilson is a com- 
paratively new comer in Berkshire, but has already raised the standard 
of architecture here, and has desi<?ned many of the handsomest buildings 
in the city, besides some of the most tasteful in Lenox. The new Dalton 
church was designed by him. We now come to " Elmwood," the coun- 
try seat of Edward Learned when living, and one of the finest in the 
State. Its great elms make the name appropriate. It occupies a promi- 
nent situation in the village, and its handsome grounds are highly 
attractive. It was occupied during the summer of 1SS8 by President 
Bliss of the Boston and Albany railroad and his family. It is stated that 
the original owner was a baker, who had accumulated a fortune and re- 
moved to Pittsfield to establish a home. His vocation followed him, and 
he was so continually annoyed by the exclamation of "Crackers" and 
other epithets pertaining to his trade that he sold his property to Mr. 
Learned and quit the town forever. 

Delightful Homes. 

In cottage architecture especially, in taste so far as regards homes of 
moderate price, Pittsfield has taken a long stride within the past decade. 
The locality in the vicinity east of Maplewood avenue is building up 
rapidly with houses of this character, the names of whose owners would 
fill a long list. It shows an improved taste in the citizenship of the town, 
and the old-fashioned, unattractive homes of the past are fast disap- 
pearing, or, at least, are not duplicated in the present generation. The 
most costly house is that of W. R. Allen, of St. Louis. The Milton house, 
near Coltsville, has also many sjiecial attractions, and the cottages of H. 
H. Ballard, on South street, are also models in their way. The Valentine 
places, on West street, have been remodeled, and, together with their 
surroundings, especially the Allen place on the south shore of Onota, 
are decidedly attractive and pleasing. Congressman Rockwell's cottage 
on Appleton avenue, the dwelling of the late Dr. W. E. Vermilye, a rep- 
resentative of the New York family of that name, and the home of James 
W. Hull, are all on the same avenue, each attractive and cozy. The 
homes of Pittsfield are peculiar in their coziness and their air of comfort, 
rather than brilliant in many colors or adorned with angles and an at- 
tempt at overdrawn architecture. The attractions of the city are in its 
natural beauty rather than its grand houses; and so, while its homes and 
its cottages have few striking features, ample and well-kept lawns are 




I.— Berkshire County Court House, Park Square, Pittsfield. 2 and 4. — Dalton Flow- 
ing Artesian Wells. 3. — Lenox Club House. 5.— Crane Library, Dalton. 



126 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



everywhere; shade, inviting rest and comfort, is on every hand; the 
wide streets have an air of quiet and attractive peacefulness, and the 
walks are broad and well-kept. There is a great deal of wealth in the 
town, which is liberally drawn upon for the beautifying of Pittsfield or 
the furtherance of its industries and substantial prosperity, and the city 
has a most thriving appearance in consequence. 

Names That Are Widely Known. 
Gordon McKay, the inventor of the sewing machine bearing his name, 
was for many years a resident of the town. Elias Merwin, the Boston 
merchant and banker, was a citizen of Pittsfield, and always loved its 
attractions; the Rev. John E. Todd, the well-known New Haven divine, 
was a Pittsfield boy; Jacob L. Greene and JohnM. Taylor, both success- 
ful insurance men in Hartford, received much of their early business 
training in Pittsfield; Prof. C. E. West, of Brooklyn, one of the most 
successful educators of the day, was a farmer's boy here. The late 
General H. S. Briggs, one of the most efficient men in the customs ser- 
vice, was for many years a resident of Pittsfield; the Rev. O. P. Gifford, 
the eloquent pastor of the Warren Avenue Baptist church, Boston, and 
the Rev. Wayland Hoyt, of Brooklyn, had in the Pittsfield Baptist church 
their first pastorates; the Rev. Dr. John Todd, famous as a writer and a 
preacher, left a lasting impression for good on the town, which he did 
so much to make an ideal New England village; Rev. Dr. Harris, after- 
ward president of a Maine theological school, and a vigorous M'riter, was 
once pastor of the First church; William Miller, the father of Millerism, 
or the Second Advent, was a native of Pittsfield. Vice-President Hen- 
dricks was a guest in Pittsfield in the summer of 1885 for a short time; 
Dr. J. Marion Sims spent the last months of his busy life in this town, 
and would have made it his summer home, especially on account of its 
mountain water. His autobiography was written in the Oman hoiise on 
North street. The English, French, Danish, Spanish and Portuguese 
ministers have all been temporary residents. Baron Struve, of Russia, 
spent a season here in a house that he hired, in 1883. Gen. Greeley, the 
Arctic explorer, spends a part of the summer each year in Pittsfield. 
Each year more and more houses in town are rented to city families, 
whose desire is to escape the exactions of " society," and yet who do not 
want to abandon the solid comforts of civilization. For such people, 
and for all others who would enjoy a coml-ination of city and coimtry 
life, difficult to obtain elsewhere, and certainly not obtainable in the pleas- 
urable degree found in Pittsfield, this city offei's the choicest inducements. 



128 THE BOOK OF BKUKSIIIKK. 

Henry L Dawes, long a resident of Pittsfield, was for eighteen years a 
member of the National House of Representatives, for years a leading 
member and the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, and since 
1876. a representative of the Commonwealth in the U. S. Senate. Thomas 
Allen, a most distinguished native of Pittslield, who died in 1882, came 
into prominence in 1836, in Van Buren's election; in 1837 he' started the 
" Madisonian" in Washington, a paper that had much influence, and was 
shortly after made public printer. Moving to St. Louis, in 1842, he took 
a leading place in affairs, was chief promoter of the Pacific railroad, and 
was president of the first company that began its construction. He 
bought the untinished Iron Mountain railroad and linished it, and was 
one of the prominent men of the country. James M. Beebe, a noted Bos- 
ton merchant, a member of the firm that was the predecessor of Jordan, 
Marsh & Co., was a Pittsiield boy. The Eev. William Allen, another na- 
tive, was a professor in Dartmouth College and president of Bowdoin 
College, and the author of several literary works, among them being the 
first biographical dictionary published in America. Congressman Francis 
W. Rockwell is a loyal as well as a distinguished resident of Pittsfield, 
and numerous natives of this town have held high places in political, 
business and professional life. 

Encircled by Interesting Places. 

Pittsfield, with all its attractions, is surrounded by numerous others of 
a varied nature in adjoining towns. The delightful drives are omni- 
present, and a few of them are mentioned elsewhere in this volume. 
South are the beauties of Lenox and Stockbridge, six to twelve miles 
distant. Southwest, PeiTy's Peak in Richmond, eight miles. West, 
Lebanon and the Shakers, seven miles. Northwest, Potter Mountain, 
between Lanesboro and Hancock, nine miles; Lulu Cascade, four miles; 
Berry Pond, in Hancock, five miles. North, Balanced Rock, six miles, 
and several sightly hills in Lanesboro; the glass works in Berkshire Vil- 
lage, six miles. To the east and northeast, in Dalton, are the Wild 
Wizard's Glen, four miles; Mount Weston, eight miles, and the fine 
paper mills; in Windsor are Wahconah Falls, eight miles. On the south- 
east are Lake Ashley, and the magnificent outlooks from Washington 
Mountain, about seven miles, one of them being from October Mountain, 
and Tory Glen, on the west slope of the mountain, five miles. With all 
these neighboring objects of interest added to its own, Pittsfield is a 
most delightful place for summer and autumn sojourn. 



'WII^I-IAMSTO'WN. 




ILLIAMSTOWN is named in honor of Col. 
Ephraim "Williams, who fell in the battle 
of French Mountain, near Lake George, 
September 8, 1755. The college which 
bears his name and whose record is one 
that Berkshire is proud of, was founded 
by him. In area, this is a large town ; its 
boundaries are mainly the "grand old 
hills of Berkshire " on all sides, and its 
scenery is fascinating. Standing in the 
village, which is on an elevated plateau, 
as it were, one looks in all directions and 
sees the peaks rising on every hand. 
In the village there is a sentiment char- 
acteristic of many of the Berkshire towns 
and yet peculiarly strong in Williamstown, of great admiration and 
love for the old college town. The students when they return to re- 
unions and "commencements," somehow seem to come no more to 
shake hands and recount the pranks of their college days than to see 
the old campus, and gaze again upon the hills, on every hand, changing 
with every month of the year, and get another breath of the pure air 
of the beloved town. 

Green River, aptly named, and a stream of some proportions, formed 
by the junction of the Hancock River, the New Ashford Brook, the 
stream from the "Hopper," and some smaller ones, forms a north and 
south valley, which stands at right angles to the Hoosac, at the north 
end. The central parts are valleys made by the Green River running 
north to the Hoosac, of which it is the principal tributary, and the town 
is again cut by the Hoosac, which runs west. In this compound valley 
is situated Williamstown village, where the valley is quite extensive. 
It is surrounded on every side by mountains. On the west are the 
Taconics, a grand range at this point, with many prominent peaks. On 
the east is Saddle Mountain, a part of the Green Mountain range. At a 




o 

en 
1-1 



CO 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 131 

point where the Hoosac River falls out of Massachusetts into Vermont the 
ground is about 100 feet lower than any other land in Berkshire, the next 
lowest being where the Housatonic leaves the State below Ashley Falls. 
Every stream in Williamstown finds its way into the Hoosac, and there is 
but one water way to the ocean ; in many of the other towns there being two. 
The old Mohawk trail between the Hudson and the Deerfield Rivers, the 
latter east of Flox'ida Mountain, passed along on the north bank of the 
Hoosac from the place where Braytonville, (a manufacturing village on 
the North Adams road to Williamstown) stands, to the New York line. 
What is a fact and only recently discovered, is that the present highway 
from Braytonville along the north bank is almost exactly, if not quite, 
on this same Indian trail. It is not close to the river, for the Indians did 
not like wet ground, but only a few rods distant. Along this trail the 
Mohawks passed in 1662 to their great battle with the Deerfield Indians 
in the Connecticut Valley. The highway varies but a few rods from this 
trail. When Fort Massachusetts, only a little beyond the Williamstown 
line, and now in North Adams and referred to elsewhere in this book, 
was captured, the captives, who were marched to Canada, were taken 
over this route, which Chaplain Norton calls the "Hoosac road," through 
WilUamstown, down by the "Dugway" in Pownal, and thence through 
the State of New York. This region of Berkshire is historic ground as 
well as classical, but we can barely mention the fact in passing. 

The Mountains. 
In the mountain chains or ranges on nearly every side, with the high 
ground near the college buildings as a center, are peaks or prominent 
points, and these have names, most of them of local interest. To the east, 
the furthest to the left, as one stands near the chapel of the college or 
the Mansion House, is Mount Hazen, for the first surveyor who ran the 
lines in 1741 ; the next south is Hudson's Height, so named for Captain 
Seth Hudson, the last commander of Fort Massachusetts and the last 
survivor of the original settlers. The next is Mount Emmons, 2,276 
feet high, where a copper bolt was placed in the early survey; the next 
is Smedley Height, so named from one of the old settlers in the valley 
and still owned by one of the descendants. StiU looking east and 
farther south as the range swings around southerly, is the Saddle Range. 
Saddle Mountain, as it appears from the distance, is practically in three 
lobes, there being Raven Rock with the road to Greylock in the valley 
between that and the Greylock lobe, which is the highest, and Mount 
Prospect which is the western lobe, cut off to near the middle by the 



132 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

streams issuing from Greylock, making "The Hopper," so-called. The 
north end of the central lobe, and in plain view from every part of the 
village, is Mount Williams, so named in honor of the founder of the col- 
lege. The next peak to the south on this central lobe, is Mount Fitch, 
commemorative of the first President of Williams College. The next is 
Greylock itself, seen from every part of Bcrkshii-e and 3,535 feet above 
sea level. Greylock, whose summit is in Adams, is more particularly re- 
ferred to in the article on that town. The next on the south is Mount 
Moore, commemorative of the second President of the college, and the 
southernmost of the central group is Mount Griffin, for the third Presi- 
dent of Williams College. Then on the western lobe is its highest peak, 
which is Mount Simonds, commemorative of Colonel Simouds, which over- 
looks the "Hopper." The next in order south of the " Hopper" is Bald 
Mountain, sometimes called the "Bluffs," 2,597 feet high, and the south- 
ern end of that lobe is Mount Chadbourne, so named in memory of Paul 
A. Chadbourne, one of the deceased Presidents of the college. 

On the west are the Taconics, which give the name to the new 
age of geology, known as the " Taconic system," of Professor Emmons. 
The northern end so far as it relates to Williamstown, at the point whei'e 
Hazen's line crosses the Taconics, was named by him Mount Belcher, 
commemorative of the then Governor of Massachusetts and New Hamp- 
shire, who had commissioned him to make the survey. The fine swell 
to the south of Mount Belcher (we are now on the west range or the 
Taconics) is called Leet Hill, from an interesting old character of 100 
years ago in town. The pointed peak to the south of Leet Hill is 
Dodd's Cone, so named for Professor Dodd, of Williams College, professor 
of mathematics for many years. The highest point in the Taconics in 
Williamstown — twin peaks — were long ago named Mount Hopkins, 2,790 
feet high, taking the family name of President Mark Hopkins and his 
brother Albert, who was for many years a professor in the college. Both 
are names that are prominent in Williamstown and are revered in the 
history of the college. The next swell is McMaster Mountain, so named 
from an old family of that part of the town. The next point, hardly 
visible from the village, but nearly west of the cozy village of South 
Williamstown, is Mount Mills, so named for Captain Samuel Mills. The 
last is Sabin Heights, so named in memory of Lieut. Zebediah Sabin, one 
of the minute men in the Revolution, who lost his life in the Expedition 
with Arnold up the Kennebec to Quebec in the winter of 1775-76. It is 
unnecessary to state that most of these points are accessible, some of 
them can be driven to and their summits are placed where grand views 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 133 

can be obtained. From the village in all directions are many fine views of 
the valley and there is a panorama of rare loveliness laid out before the 
beholder. 

There are four passes over the Taconics into the State of New York. 
The northern is called Petersburg Pass, 2,075 feet high; next to that is 
Berlin Pass, 2,192 feet high, which was a turnpike in the early part of the 
century; both are passable and afford fine drives and magnificent views. 
The third is Kidder Pass, which is fine for horseback riding, and the 
southernmost is the Johnson Pass, so named from David Johnson who 
lived at its foot, and who also went up the Kennebec with Arnold. 

Village Peefection. 

The village itself is a gem, a college town with many buildings, college 
and society houses, some of them of unique architecture. The college 
buildings are well worth a visit, and the chapel, with its ivy for each of the 
classes for many years back, is suggestive of a great many recollections 
dear to the alumni. The main street of Williamstown is sixteen rods wide 
and beautifully laid out, running over the hill and through the depression 
of the valley. The dwellings on each side suggest quiet and comfort. Be- 
sides the main street, on which most of the college buildings are located, 
there are several lateral streets, all of them finely shaded and with hand^ 
some dwellings. The Fields, David Dudley, Cyrus W., and the Rev. Dr. 
Henry M., all, or nearly all, of whom are alumni of the college, have been 
actively interested in the village as well as in the college itself. There is 
a thriving village improvement society, and the citizens take great pride 
in their village. It has been greatly improved and beautified, through the 
liberality of Cyrus W. Field, who gave $10,000 for this purpose, with the 
condition that the street fences be removed. This was done, and conse- 
quently the village seems like a large park, characterized by perfect 
neatness and rare beauty. The direction of the work was in the hands of 
Frederick Law Olmstead, the noted landscape gardener. Well kept lawns 
extend the whole distance of Main street, planted here and there with 
shrubs and shaded with gracefully spreading trees. The street passes 
over three small hills, on which the college buildings stand, offering Mr. 
Olmstead unusual opportunities, which he has not failed to use, in pro- 
ducing charming effects. The upper end of Main street has been greatly 
improved of late years by Col. Anthony Bullock, a Cincinnati million- 
aire, and his son, James W. Bullock. The street and walks were graded 
and turfed, where necessary, and a large amount of money was laid out 
here. 



134 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



Mission Park. 

Here is the birtli place of the Amei'ican Board of Foreign Missions. In 
1806, and even before, the students of the college had been wont to seek 
some quiet retreat where they might pray, and there are still the remains 
of a large willow, near the dwelling of Prof. A. L. Perry, where they 
gathered under its secluded branches; down by the river is another 
place, but on one occasion they met in a small grove, and, a thunder 
shower coming up, they fled to a haystack, under the shelving sides of 
which they gathered and held their meeting; and there the first mission- 
ary work began. We give a view, in the initial letter of this article, of 
the monument erected on Missionary Park, to commemorate the event, 
by Harvey Rice, of Cleveland, Ohio. Directly behind Mission Park lies 
the old college cemetery, a very beautiful spot, where rest the dust of 
many of Williams' honored sons. The remains of the beloved Dr. Hop- 
kins lie buried here, and not far away is the resting place of Dr. Chad- 
bourne. There are monuments here to two other of the college presi- 
dents, Dr. Fitch and Dr. Grifiith, although their remains are not buried 
here. This cemetery is also the burial place of many professors and stu- 
dents, and is probably the most hallowed spot on the college property. 

Many Choice Drives. 

There are many fine drives about Williamstown. Like nearly all the 
other valley towns of Berkshire, there are three drives through it, one 
each side under the mountain and another through the center. The 
drive to Norths Adams is a pleasant six miles trip, one route being south 
from the village through the pi-etty village of Blackinton, and the other 
past the Greylock Mills. To Pownal, five miles, is a pretty drive along 
the river. To Hancock, through South Williamstown, is delightful. 
Over the mountain, through the passes mentioned, there are fine views. 
There is not a more romantic road in all Berkshire than from Williams- 
town to Pittsfield via New Ashford, Lanesboro and back via Cheshire, 
Adams and North Adams. Two popular drives in the village are known 
as either the " Long Oblong," or the "Short Oblong." A drive takes 
the west road from the Greylock House, following the Taconics 
up Hemlock Brook, then turning near the school house to the 
main road from Hancock north throvigh South Williamstown, and back 
by the river road to the village again at its east end. The road to 
Greylock is also a fine drive, striking the new road to Greylock Park by 
an easy grade, making a distance of about fifteen miles. The drive to 
Bennington, Vt., sixteen miles, is also a delightful one over the hills, 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 135 

and has many nice bits of scenery on the way. The attractions in the 
neighboring towns are numerous, and extended reference to them will 
be found in the articles on those towns. 

Near the railway station, on a ver^' commanding height, John M. Cole 
has fitted up Cole's Grove for picnicing and excursion grounds at great 
expense, and has made a very attractive spot. There are roads and walks, 
paths and arbors, and a large dining hall capable of accommodating a 
large party, a dancing pavillion, facilities for cooking and all the acces- 
sories of a resort of this kind. It is only a few rods from the station 
and in summer is visited by many excursionists. 

A Valley Outlook. 
In the east part of the town, two miles from the village, are the 
Sand Springs with a temperature which is uniformly 72 degrees, and 
the water being a cure for many skin diseases. Here was located 
Greylock Hall, which was burned May 14th, 1886. A most de- 
lightful view is obtained from the piazzas of this excellent hotel. 
The building stands on an elevated place near the northern rim of Wil- 
liamstown basin and with a southern frontage of 165 feet, and its win- 
dows and broad verandas command a prospect seldom equaled. The 
Rev. Washington Gladden, referring to it in a private letter, says: "In 
the sublimity which belongs to magnitudes and distances, — which arises 
at the sight of mere bulk, or the signs of mere force, — the White Hills or 
the Yosemite Valley are, of course, far richer than this region; but the 
beauty that attracts and charms the eye, the calmness that gives rest to 
the distracted sense, the peace that at once restores and satisfies the 
soul, have taken up their abode among your Berkshire Hills. Such a 
sight as that upon which you look from your windows, is good medicine 
for any tired citizen. The Hoosac Mountains, far off to the left; the 
(Jreylock group, with Williams and Prospect in the foreground ; and Bald 
Mountain, sitting like a lion couchant, looking down into the Hopper; 
the ribbed and buttressed Taconics, ranging themselves along the west- 
ern horizon; and the Dome, looming up in the north; while Williams- 
town, with its colleges, sits on its three hills in the center of the scene. 
The picture is as vivid as if I had seen it but yesterday." 

Williams College. 

The college has its graduates by the hundreds, and they fill all the sta- 
tions in life. It was to attend the commencement of his alma mater that 
President Garfield had started when struck down by the assassin. Will- 



136 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



iams College was proud of her sou, and he loved her as fervently as she 
was his pride. The list of her graduates would fill a volume, and the 
history of the town and the college forms an interesting chapter in this 
part of the State and the county. 

The college began as a free school, endowed by Col. Ephraim Williams; 
and with $3,500, raised by lottery, and $2,000 by subscription, a building 
was erected, now West College, and iu 1791 the school was opened, to be 
incorporated, less than two years later as a college. The proceeds of 
two townships in Maine, $10,000, granted by the Legislature, and S2,000 
more, were applied in 1798 to build the old East College, which was 
burned in 1841. The present East and South Colleges, built in 1842, 
occupy in part the same ground. Griffin Hall, standing ou the eastern 
eminence, nearly opposite East College, was built in 1828 for 810,000, 
raised by President Griffin. College Chapel and Alumni Hall, on the 
west brow of East College grounds was built in 1859. Among other fine 
windows, the chapel contains a beautiful memorial window to the late 
President Garfield. It represents an angel pointing out the beauties of 
the promised land to Moses. It was the gift of Cyrus W. Field, and was 
done by Lafarge at a cost of $3,500. A very fine organ, costing a like sum, 
has recently been placed in the chapel by the class of '76. Clark Hall 
was the gift of Edward Clark, of New York, in 1881, and is situated on the 
eminence east of East College; it is a fine building and was to furnish a 
safe place for the Wilder mineralogical cabinet and the college archives. 
Near the South College is the Astronomical Observatory, the first erected 
in this country for this exclusive use, in 1836, by Prof. Albert Hopkins. 
To the east of this is the Magnetic Observatory; Lawrence Hall was 
built in 1846, through the liberality of Amos Lawrence, of Boston. It is 
near East College, and contains the college library of 30,000 volumes, 
with room for 5,000 more. During the year 1889 two additions were 
built on Lawrence Hall, one east and one west. The additions are of 
brick, two stories high, and contain several fine study and reference 
rooms. In addition to the library in Lawrence Hall, there is another in 
South College of 9,000 volumes, belonging to the literary societies of the 
college. In Lawrence Hall is kept the Lange collection of pamphlets, 
some 3,000 in number, on classible subjects. It is a very valuable col- 
lection. In the additions is to be kept the valuable collection of pict- 
ures, potteries and bronzes, and the art library, to be known as the Field 
collection, and given in honor of the late John W. Field of Philadelphia. 
The library is constantly increasing under the $18,000 endowment of the 
Lawrence and other funds. Kellogg Hall, south of West College, built 



138 ■ THE BOOK OF BERKSHIKE. 



in 1847, takes its name from Prof. Ebenezer Kellogg, who was long the 
Professor of Ancient Languages. Jackson Hall was built for the Natu- 
ral History Society by Nathan Jackson, of New York. 

John Z. Goodrich, of Stockbridge, gave Goodrich Hall, in 1870. It is on 
the North side of Main street, west of Griffin Hall. The Field Memorial 
Observatory, situated on high ground, southwest of the principal college 
buildings, and intended to supplement the old Astronomical Observa- 
tory, was the gift of David Dudley Field, in 1881. Mr. Field has been a 
liberal benefactor of the college, and was the principal donor of the Sol- 
dier's Monument, erected in 18(17. Morgan Hall, the most valuable of 
the college buildings, situated east of West College, was erected out of a 
principal part of a gift of $100,000, from Governor E. D. Morgan. On 
the south side of Main street, east of Morgan Hall, stands the Laselle 
gymnasium, which was finished in 1886. It stands as a monument to 
Prof. Edward Laselle, for many years professor of chemistry in the col- 
lege, and to Hon. Josiah Laselle, of Whitinsville, Mass., both graduates 
of the college. Its cost, with equipment, was $.50,000, of which $3.5,000 
was given by the widow of Josiah Laselle and his son Josiah W., who 
graduated in 1880. The latest addition to the college buildings is the 
Mark Hopkins memorial building, situated a little east of opposite the 
chapel. It is a beautifully proportioned structure, three stories high, 
and was completed in 1890. The material is limestone and brick and the 
cost was $80,000, of which $25,000 was given by Frederick F. Thompson, 
of the class of 1856. The remainder was raised by subscriptions from 
the alumni and President Hopkins' friends. 

Among the fine society buildings erected in recent years are those of 
the Sigma Phi, the Delta Psi, the Kappa Alpha and the Chi Psi frater- 
nities. Massachusetts has given to the college, besides the townships 
mentioned, two others in 181U: $4,000 at incorporation in 1793; $3,000 
annually for ten years, beginning with 1814, and $25,000 annually for 
thi'ee years, beginning with 1868, provided that a like sum should be 
raised by subscription, which was done, mainly by the efforts of Presi- 
dent Hopkins. 

The house occupied by President Carter standing on the north side of 
Main street opposite "West College, is a notable structure. The front 
portion was built about 1800, and is one of the finest specimens of the 
old colonial style of houses in this section. It was given to the college 
in 1858, together with twenty acres of land, by Nathan Jackson. The 
property cost him $6,000, and to-day is worth $50,000, at the least. 

Weston field, is the ball and athletic grounds, and lies south of the 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 139 

southern line of the old college property. It is the gift of Hon. Byron 
Weston, of Dalton, who has spent much money on it, and has been the 
scene of many athletic victories. 

The presidents of the college have been : The Rev. Dr. Ebenezer 
Fitch, 1793-1815; the Rev. Dr. Zephaniah Swift Moore, 1815-1821 ; the Rev. 
Edward Dorr Griffin, 1821-1836; the Rev. Dr. Mark Hopkins, 1836-1872; 
the Rev. Dr. Paul A. Chadbourne, 1S72-1881 ; Dr. Franklin Carter, since 
1881. Among the distinguished professors of Williams were Prof. Em- 
mons, who was a pioneer geologist; Prof. Albert Hopkins, who built the 
first permanent astronomical observatory ever connected with an Amer- 
ican college, and whose influence as a religious leader of students has 
never been surpassed; Dr. John Bascom, late president of Wisconsin 
University, and Prof. Perry, a well-known free trade advocate and now 
president of the Berkshire Historical and Scientific society. 

For many years Williamstown has been a favorite summer resort, and 
its development in this direction during the past few years has been re- 
markable. No town in the county has more charming sites for summer 
homes, and several have been built upon recently. John B. Gale, a 
prominent Troy lawyer, has built a handsome residence on South street, 
where he lives the greater part of the time. Mr. Gale has done a great 
deal in the way of improving the town. The house of Mrs. Luther Clark, 
of New York, is occupied during the summer by her son-in-law, Samuel 
P. Blagden, of New York. Mr. Blagden is a nephew of Wendell Phillips, 
and the house is full of furniture which belonged to the latter. The 
residences of N. H. Sabin and Eugene M. Jerome, of New York, and of 
Prof. Hewitt, are among the recently erected homes which are worthy of 
mention. Mr. Doughty, of Troy, has built a fine country seat; the Rev. 
Harry Hopkins, of Kansas City, son of Rev. Dr. Mark Hopkins, has built 
a nice summer cottage there; Col. Archie Hopkins, of the Court of 
Claims at Washington, has a summer cottage in the neighborhood ; 
President Leake, of the bank, has a delightful home near by; Mr. Harri- 
son, of Milwaukee, has established a summer home, and Mr. Markham, 
of New York, has a country seat and farm here. There are also several 
houses, where the faculty and other residents of the town reside, which 
are tasteful. Williamstown has its share of prominent guests. Hardly 
a commencement passes that does not bring back for a time many of 
its alumni, who are glad to return to her shades, and there are also many 
permanent summer guests. As a place of residence, as well as resort, 
this town has an educational attraction to those having young children, 
as well as numerous natural attractions. Pupils can prepare for Will- 



140 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



iams College, at Greylock Institute, in South Williamstown, about four 
miles distant. For all purposes of country life Williamstown stands high 
in the estimation of all who have lived here. The social and educational 
features, and the natural beauty, wildness and picturesqueness of the 
town and its neighbors, make it a choice place of resort, whether for a 
short vacation, or for the season; for a country home in addition to a city 
home, or for permanent residence. The changes in the hotels during the 
past three years have been very great. Col. Bullock, whose name has al- 
ready been mentioned, purchased the old Kellogg House and transformed 
it into the cozy Taconic Inn. The house was entirely remodeled, a large 
addition being built on the south side. It now has accommodations for 
about 1.50 guests, and is one of the model hotels of Berkshire. The Man- 
sion House standing directly opposite the Taconic Inn was purchased in 
1888 by Col. Bullock, and is now known as The Greylock House. It has 
been thoroughly remodeled and renovated, and makes a fit companion 
for its handsome neighbor across the way. This house accommodates 
about 1.50 guests, and is only open during the summer and autumn. The 
town also contains several private boarding-houses where excellent ac- ' 
commodations can be obtained. 







SHHFFIHI.D. 

^, I ^ following the course of the Housatonic through Berkshire, 
' the southernmost of the villages strung like beads upon its 



I 



shining thread, is Sheffield, lying in a peaceful breadth of 
valley, where every thing speaks of calm and repose. The soft 
curves of the hills and mountains surrounding it are repeated 
with constant vai'iety of outline, but all impressed with the same gentle 
character. On the west, Taconic swelling to the rounded height of the 
Dome, neai'ly -3,000 feet above the sea, broods like a vast bird over the 
valley. On the south, the Canaan Hills, from their direction east and 
west, take all changing effects of sunshine, and offer an endless study of 
variety in color, and light and shade, while to the north and east the river 
meadows, dotted with graceful trees, and watered by 

' Streams that with their bordering thickets strive 
To hide their windings,' 

lead the eye to the upland farms beyond, and to the wooded hills which 
crown and protect them. Among the heights are wild and romantic 
ravines, shaggy precipices, and leaping brooks, easily to be reached by 
the adventurous explorer, but the prevailing expression of the open 
valley is slumbi'ous tranquility, and its most fitting atmosphere the 
tender, Indian summer-like haze which frequently enfolds it. Yet 
often it is no less beautiful in those resplendent days with which our New 
England climate makes us all familiar, when the sky is sapphire, and 
the air is crystal, and there is a keen invigoration in the breeze, and a 
quick sparkle from the water, and a crisp splendor over the entire land- 
scape. If seems then as if you could count the leaves in the deep forests 
on Taconic, and it must have been under this aspect that it was seen, 
according to a village tradition, by the celebrated John C. Calhoun. 
Passing a night at the inn, and finding in the morning that he had half 
an hour before breakfast, he said, much to the amusement of the land- 
lord, that he would employ the time in taking a walk to the foot of the 
mountain. It is four miles as the crow flies, but on a clear morning, an 
unaccustomed eye still finds it hard to believe it more than one-fourth of 
that distance." So writes Miss Mary E. Dewey, with a keen appreciation 
of the chai'ms of her native town, and yet unable to exaggerate them. 




The Sheffield Elm. 



the book of berkshike. 143 

An Attractive Resort. 

When coming to Berkshire, people have been too neglectful of this 
tovm and village. Every glance around the village brings repose to the 
visitor and admiration for its neatness. The broad Main street has per- 
fect lavrns, smooth and well cared for, and tew streets are so finely- 
shaded. Four rows of maples and elms extend along this street, a rare 
sight in any village. The elms were set out in 1848. In a hot summer 
day, to sit under these trees or stroll among them is a refreshment of no 
common order. 

There are ample accommodations for visitors in Sheffield at the hotel, 
in village families or among farmers around town. The Conway House 
offers good entertainment to guests, under the proprietorship of James 
E. Conway. In and near the village of Ashley Falls, four miles south 
of Sheffield village, boarders are taken at a few houses. 

Walks and Drives. 

The roads of Sheffield are improving under a more intelligent working 
than they had not many years ago, and afford a great number of delight- 
ful drives, the principal of which are included in the table of drives. No 
town in the county has more miles of roads than this one, there being 
over a hundred, and the rides that may be had over them are all truly 
Berkshire in their characteristics. 

A delightful walk is down Main street to the Big Elm, a mile south of 
the center. This tree is one of the giants of its kind, long famed for its 
wide spreading branches. Dr. Holmes refers to it in his "Autocrat of the 
Breakfast Table." A walk of a mile out to the east side of the river, 
near William M. Chapin's place, will secure a most delightful view of the 
Housatonic Valley, which, in Sheffield, is at its widest place, with the 
magnificent background of the Taconics, with the Dome in the center, 
to the westward. The drive along this east road from Alum Hill, where 
the view is very fine, to Great Barrington, is one of Berkshire's best. 
Pine Knoll, on the eastern outskirts of the village, overlooking the 
meadows, is a place to which a very noteworthy walk of a few hundred 
yards is often taken. Through the liberality of several people then 
present, and former residents, three acres, composing the Pine Knoll 
were bought, fenced and fitted up in 1884 at an expense of §1,000, and 
placed in perpetual trust as a public resort, for strolling, picnics 
and meetings under the tall pine trees that constitute a shady grove. A 
walk of one mile out to the west is to Bear's Den, a wooded mount that 
rises to a height of 200 feet from the plain. From the summit of precip- 



144 THE BOOK OF BEBKSUIRK. 



itous rooks ou the oast siilo, thoro is a fmo outlook, wlioro pionio parties 
often go. and on the west sUipe there is a deep ravine, ihnkly shaded and 
cool, where tissures and disnipted rooks constitute oave-liko places, one 
of which used to be the home of a bear. 

Sage's Kavine. 
Sage's Ravine, in the southwest corner of Shet^old, and partly in Salis- 
bury. Ct., and Mount Washington, is nowhere surpassed in wildness and 
general etYect. To reach it, visitors leave the under mountain road a 
little south of the place where the brook crosses it. Here the scene is 
enough to give the visitor a sharp appetite for what he expects to see 
further up the mountain. An old mill was once situated by the roadside, 
whose wheel was turned by the water of the stream, and the view from 
below, which was very striking and still is, though the mill is gone, was 
«ngraved for " Picturesiiue America." The ravine is situated between 
Kace and Bear mountains, and the water that comes down descends in 
many cascades and falls, a distance of several hundred feet in about as 
many yards. Here the very extreme of wildness is reached, among the 
boulders aiul walls of rock, the ragged clitYs and crags, the dark, tangled 
f oi-est, the roar and splash of the mad waters. The ascent may be rather 
ditticult for timid ladies, but no one who is not a weak invalid should or 
need be deterred from the undertaking. The darkest time is in the aftei'- 
noon; in the morning, when the sun shines directly on the main fall, a 
rainbow is seen in the spray, a most charming ettect. It was Henry 
Ward l>eecher who declared that a visit to this ravine was worth a trip 
from Xew York every month in the year. 

TiiK Undkr MorxTAiN Views. 

The views from the under mountain road going north of the ravine, 
awakened the profoundest admiration in Mr. Beecher. Of it he writes: 
"Me;\nwhile the sun is wheeling behind the mountains. Already its 
broad shade begins to fall down ui>on the plain. The side of the moun- 
tain is solemn and sad. Its ridge stands sharj) against a lire bright 
horizon. Through the heavens are slowly sailing continents of magniti- 
cent lleece mountains — Alps and Andes of vapor. They, too, have their 
broad shadows, l^pon yonder hill, far to the east of us, you see a cloud 
shadow making gray the top, while the base is radiant witli the sun. 
Another cloud shadow is moving with stately grandeur along the valley 
of the Housa tonic; and, if you rise to a little eminence, you may see the 
bright landscape growing dull in the sudden obscuration on its forward 



TUK BOOK OF BEBK8HIBE. 140 

line, and ffrowing as suddenly brif^ht upon its rear trace. How majesti- 
cally that shadow travels up those steep and precipitous mountain sides ! 
How it swoops down tlio gorj^e and valley and moves alonj^ the plain I" 

In a clothier's shop on the roadside at the south side of the ravine, 
strange occurrences began November 8, 1802, Stones and other articles 
were thrown through the windows night and day for several days, and, 
though many people came to discover the authors of the disturbance, 
the origin of the doings has always remained a mystery. The operation 
was soon transferred to a house ICKJ rods north, and though the stones 
came with great velocity, they often stopped at the window sill. Witch- 
craft was supposed to be at the bottom of the mystery, which lias boen 

made historical. 

WoiJKS OF Xatuke, 

The Ice Gulf, mentioned in the account of Great Barrington, is ap- 
proaclied over lirusii Hill, and entrance is made at the west opiening. 

Mossy Glen, back of the home of Isaac Spur, under the mountain at 
the base of the Dome, is a wild, cool, shady place, where people often go 
and have picnics. 

A mile above Frank Curtis's place, under the mountain, and half a mile 
back of Langdon Hulett's house, is a small natural cave called the Bat's. 
Den, whicli is a curiosity to those who have never seen natural caves. 

People often ascend the Dome from the east side on foot, if they are 
good at mountain climbing, after riding to the base. 

The greatest attraction for Sheffield people is the beautiful Twin 
Lakes, and on the road thither, the outlook from Cooper Hill is too ex- 
quisite ever to be forgotten. 

Ashley Mountain, southeast of Cooper Hill, east of the Twin Lakes, 
and bringing to an end on the south the broad part of the Ilousatonic 
valley is a broad, easily ascended mountain partly in Sheffield and partly 
in Salisbury seven to eight hundred feet above the valley, that offers one of 
the most varied and wide panorama of views that can be had elsewhere 
in the whole Berkshire region from a hill of no greater eminence. The 
summit is wooded and the views must be had lower down. A two or 
three-mile circuit of the mountain exposes every point of the comptass. 
The view to the north is probably the best northern view in the whole 
region; the west takes in the Salisbury landscape with the lovely Twin 
Lakes and the Taconic background ; on the east are the Canaan Valley 
and the bold Canaan Mountain, and on the south appear an extensive 
list of components. It is a pity that there is no public road up the 
mountain; one can ride over a poor private road part way up the 



146 THE BOOK OF BEKKSinKE. 

mountain, but most of the sightseeing must be done on foot, and where 
the forest does not obscure the outlook. 

Among the out of town excursions, besides those mentioned, are those 
to Lake Buel, Bashbish, Great Barrington, Stockbridge and Lenox. 

Social Featukes. 

" Without water-power, or any manufacturing interest," writes Miss 
Dewey, "Sheffield is exclusively a farming and grazing township. Rye, 
corn, oats, and potatoes, delicious butter, rich milk, and ruddy apples 
are her contributions to the comfoi'ts of the world, nor does she lack for 
fruits, but can show large vineyards, and cherry, pear, and peach or- 
chards. There is a general diffusion of comfort, though little wealth, 
among her scattered farm-houses, and much shrewdness, and what 
might be called latent intelligence among her j^eople, who feel to the 
full the advantages and disadvantages of a purely agricultural district." 
With other agricultural products may be mentioned tobacco, of which 
the Sheffield farmers raise much that is declared by the United States 
census of 1880, in a special report, to be, with the tobacco of the other 
Housatonic valley towns, the best that is raised in the nation. 

One of the principal winter pleasures of the quiet village is a society 
called the Friendly Union, which meets on Friday evenings for social, 
iiud literary purposes. The sessions usually begin with a lecture, or 
reading, or concert, or dramatic entertainment, or debate, after which 
games may be played. This was organized in 1871, principally through 
the efforts of Miss Dewey. These social meetings have attained some 
celebrity in their way and have been the means of suggesting organiza- 
tion of similar "fi'iendly unions" in other parts of the country. 

Distinguished Natives. 

Sheffield has been the native place or the home of many remarkable 
persons, principally in branches of the Dewey and Barnard families. 
The Kev. Dr. Orville Dewey who was born here and who passed the lat- 
ter part of his life at his home on the south part of Main street, "St. 
David's," " ranks as one of the ablest and best beloved of the early ex- 
ponents of American Unitarianism." His "Problem of Human Des- 
tiny," written in Sheffield in 1850-1, is one of the ablest works of the 
American intellect. Several volumes of published sermons show that 
Dr. Dewey was master of a most perfect style. He preached in Boston, 
New Bedford, New York, Washington and several other places. For 
many years Dr. Dewey entertained noted friends at his home here, 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIBE. 147 

among tliem the Rev. Dr. Henry W. Bellows; and Catherine M. Sedgwick, 
in 1854, wrote, after a visit here, "I never saw a less ostentatious, or a 
more cordial and effective hospitality." Dr. Dewey's daughter, Miss 
Mary E. Dewey, of Sheffield and Boston, has long been known for her 
literary and philanthropic efforts, and his sister, Miss Jerusha Dewey 
of Bridgeport, Conn., has written much on religious topics. Major-Gen- 
eral John G. Barnard, who was born here and who always had a country 
home in the village, " Netherby Hall," now owned by his widow, served 
in the Mexican war with distinction, was superintendent of the Military 
Academy, as an engineer he superintended the construction of fortifica- 
tions at San Francisco, New York and elsewhere, he directed the siege 
operations of the armies of the Potomac in the Peninsular campaign, had 
charge of the defences at Washington, he was Genei-al Grant's chief en- 
gineer of the armies in the field, and was the author of more than half a 
dozen scientific works. Dr. Frederick A. P. Barnard, his brother. 
President of Columbia College since 1804, was previously prominently 
connected with many institutions of learning, and during his life has 
been active and leading in literary, scientific and educational matters. 
He has written many works, principally of a scientific nature. Daniel 
Dewey, a native of Sheffield, was Judge of the Supreme Court; the Rev. 
Dr. Chester Dewey, also a native, was professor in Williams College and 
the University of Rochester, and was long principal of the Collegiate 
Institute at Rochester. Daniel Dewey Barnard, long distinguished in 
political life, was minister to Prussia, 1849-53. Sheffield also was the 
native town of Bishop Edmund S. Janes, who had reason to say, as he 
did, "1 have always been proud of my native town." Robert G. Fitch, 
once editor of the Boston Post, went from the eastern part of Sheffield, 
now in New Marlboro. Paul Dewey, uncle of the Rev. Dr. Orville 
Dewey, was a man of strong parts, though not known beyond this 
limited region. It is traditional that the celebrated French author, 
Chateaubriand, staying at a Sheffield tavern one night while on his way 
to or from Albany, casually entered into conversation with Mr. Dewey 
in the evening, and that the Frenchman found the conversation so in- 
teresting, in which Mr. Dewey paid him the same compliment, that 
neither knew that the whole night had passed, till dawn had brought the 
fact to their notice. Theodore Sedgwick practiced law in this town for 
several years. In the lower cemetery are the graves of General John 
Ashley and General John Fellows, the former born in town and both 
nearly life-long residents, and revolutionary officers. 
Sheffield has been famous for building marble. A part of the Girard 



148 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIKE. 



College building is made of marble from an old quarry in the northern 
part of the town, and marble was supplied from this or some other 
quarry for the inside finish of the Boston Custom House, for the New 
York City Hall and Court House, and for the Berkshire County Court 
House in Pittsfield. 

Two years and four months before the Mecklenburg "Declaration of In- 
dependence," January 12, 1773, Sheffield, in town meeting assembled, 
passed a remarkable series of resolutions that were a Declaration of 
Rights and Grievances. They have been hidden away from the historian, 
but they undoubtedly place the town first of all in the Thirteen Colonies 
in point of time in announcing the right of self-government, independent of 
British rule. In 1774 the town had up for consideration the question of 
the "inhuman practice of enslaving our fellow creatures, the natives of 

Africa." 

This was the stuff that the ancestry of most of the present town's- 
people was made of. Nowhere can now be found better specimens of 
the " independent farmer " than in this town. Among them and the 
village people, and at the village hotel, the people of cities who would 
escape from unhappy living, will find quiet, agreeable and well 
kept resorts. 




The Pabish of South Egeemont. 

EGREMONT is divided into two villages, South Egremont and 
North Egremont. Situated midway between the excellent 
facilities, busy life and social brightness of Great Barrington 
on the one hand, and the airy, prospect-commanding summits 
of Mount Washington on the other, the pleasant little village 
of South Egremont always receives a generous share of Berkshire's 
summer patronage. Nestled in a quiet nook of the broad but broken 
Egremont Plain, under the very shadow of the grand old Dome, with 
its pretty white chux'ch spire and cool, shady streets, it is one of the 
most i^erfect specimens we have of the unspoiled New England 
village. In every direction are most delightful drives over smooth, 
level roads, some of the very best in the county. They will take you 
north to Prospect Lake, three miles and a half distant, and to White's 
Hill; west through Guilder Hollow to the foot hills of Mount Wash- 
ington, with Bashbish Falls and the Dome, and Bear Rock a few miles 
beyond; south by a pleasant winding way to Sheffield, Sage's Ravine 
and Twin Lakes, or east four miles by the gentle waters of Green River, 
and past beautiful homes with park-like grounds to the elm lined streets 
of Great Barrington, and beyond to Lake Buel, Monument Mountain, 
Stockbridge and Lenox. The list of these drives is about the same as 
that for Great Barrington and the distance in most instances may be 
quite accurately estimated by taking into account, when necessary, 
the distance between these villages, which are four miles apart. 
However, there are some special drives and distances that ought 
to be mentioned and these may be found elsewhere in this volume. The 
shriek of the locomotive has never disturbed its Sabbath-like repose, 
yet the village is easily reached from the Hillsdale station of the Harlem 
railroad, six miles distant, and from Great Barrington on the Housa- 
tanic road, four miles off. Stage leaves Great Barrington at 10 A. m., 
South Egremont at 5 p. m. Stage leaves Hillsdale 3 p. m., South Egre- 
mont at 11 A. M. 

Mount Evebett House. 

People of quiet tastes, whose means may or may not be limited, love 
to come here in an unostentatious way, enjoy a brief respite from 



150 THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIKE. 

care, turmoil and excitement, and when they have drunk their fill of 
counti-y invigoration depart as quietly as they came. For more than 
twenty years they have come and gone in this way, and of late their 
number has steadily increased. 

The Mount Everett House, where most visitors expect, as a matter of 
course, to stay, stands on a pleasant corner facing north, where a 
hotel of some kind has flourished since 1780. Under its inviting sign 
the stage coaches of the famous old Hartford and Albany turnpike used 
to stop in former days for "refreshments." W. B. Peck, the present 
proprietor, has been in charge since 1871. To his judicious manage- 
ment very much of South Egremont's popularity as a summer resort is 
due. He has thoroughly mastered the most difficult of all arts, that of 
making his guests feel not only well treated but quite at home. On his 
register are the names of such men as Charlton T. Lewis, J. F. 3Iead, 
Robert Carter, John T. Baker, J. E. Browning, E, C. Dillingham, J. H. 
Goodsell, R. W. Ross, Walter Hanford, Rev. T. A. Eaton and John L. 
Kennedy, all of New York ; Dr. L. J. Sanford, Judge E. J. Sanford, 
Lewis Hotchkiss, all of New Haven, Conn. ; Walter Callender, Prov- 
idence, R. I. , and John J. Lambert, Troy, N. Y. 

There are several houses in the village where boai'ders are taken, or 
where people who take meals at the hotel may find lodging, and some- 
times there is a house or so to rent. 

There is an old brick house in the village, built in 1761, with the date 
on the front wall, and A. for Anna, and J. T. for John TuUer, with a 
heart represented between them, signifying the happy union between 
Mr. Tuller, the builder, and his wife. 

Some Men who have Lived Hebe. 

Associated with Egremont are the names of several men who have 
attained more or less reputation. Grosvenor P. Lowery, who was born in 
North Egremont, is one of the leading members of the bar in New York 
city, where he is counsel for great telegraph, railroad and express com- 
panies. He comes this way now and then. Andrew Reasoner, born in 
South Egremont, achieved success in railway construction and manage- 
ment for the Harlem, the Hudson River, the Long Island, the Milwaukee 
& St. Paul, the Great Eastern, the Morris & Essex and the Delaware, 
Lackawanna & Western railroads, and of the last two consolidated, he 
is now superintendent, living at Morristown, N. J. Governor H. B. 
Bigelow of Connecticut, received his school education at the South 
Egremont Academy, and was a railway station agent in Housatonic. 



THE BOOK OF BERK8HIBE. 151 

Chester Goodale, who died here at the age of 93 in 18S4, was a leading 
man in town during nearly his whole life. He put the Mount Everett 
House in its present shape in 1853. The buttonball trees near the brook 
opposite the hotel, he set out in 1813. He was the grandfather of the 
" Sky Farm Poets," the Goodale sisters. In 1836 he bought quarries 
two miles on the road to Sheffield and during the 40 years that he worked 
them he furnished the marble of which the columns, bases and architraves 
of Girard College were made. 

The Parish of North Egremont. 

This village is very favorably situated for making country life agreea- 
ble to city peoijle. The quietude that leigns is supreme, the roads are 
unexcelled and the mountain resorts are near at hand. Prospect Lake 
is only a half mile away, where there is every convenience for aquatic 
sport, picnic parties and camping out, with a building for shelter, if 
needed. The lake has thousands of visitors every season. 

Kemarkable Echoes. 

At the top of the mountain on the road to Hillsdale, two miles dis- 
tant, is a place, at the Summit House, where several Echoes are re- 
turned to every noise in rapid succession. There is one place where a 
single Echo is returned, one where two Echoes are heard, another where 
three, and still another where four are heard, and, when the air is tran- 
quil, the Whispering Echo is audible. The reflected noise comes back 
with the greatest distinctness, and the places where the sound is re- 
turned with so many variations are all within twenty rods of each other. 

There are several boarding houses in the village and outside, mostly 
owned by farmers, where the fare is good, but not high priced. Stage 
leaves Great Barrington at 10 a. m., and North Egremont at 3 p, m. 
Stage leaves Hillsdale 3 p. m., and North Egremont 11.30 A. m. 

Green River, that charming little stream, with its clear water, shady 

banks, overhanging trees and vines, and pebbly bottom, runs close by the 

village. 

White's Hill. 

Now and then Berkshire people wake up to the fact that some hill or 
some road that has been slightingly familiar to them for years, is a place 
of fine outlook, and at once the spot is raised to local fame; or, so numer- 
ous are such places, that the people are indifferent explorers, and occa- 
sionally discover one by accident. Of this kind was White's Hill, three 
miles northwest of North Egremont village, and a little over the State 



l."32 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

line in New York. The view from this liill is far reaching, and so grandly 
beautiful as to be beyond description. One can drive to the very sum- 
mit, where a rustic observatory jjrotects the visitor from sun and storm. 
Few people are masters of the language enough to do a tithe of justice 
to the views; perhaps no one has succeeded so well as "Octavia Hen- 
sel," whom we quote from the Iloine Journal: "A more perfect evening 
could not be imagined; the sky was that peculiar gentian blue, seen 
nowhere but in Italy and Berkshire, while great banks of fleecy clouds, 
like frosted silver in sunlight, floated away to the north. The air was 
full of the perfume of wild raspberries, in tangles of fern and briar 
roses. The chestnuts shook their tasseled blooms of emerald, and 
the mountain pines murmured in the soft scented breeze. 

" Words cannot describe the wonder of the scene. We have ascended 
the Swiss mountains, wandered over Tyrolean heights, ridden through the 
mountain fastnesses of the Karpathiaus, and penetrated the depths of 
the Bohemian forest hills ; but never before has such pei-f ect grandeur 
of movmtain scene, splendid expanse of valley, plain and woodland, 
filled the circumference of the earth! High up on this pinnacle, turn 
which way you will, the sight stretches away a hundred miles to mount- 
ain ranges, meeting the cloudland of the horizon. * * * To the north 
the Austerlitz Valley seemed balanced in a moss-cushioned swing, so 
strangely semi-circular is the curve of its hills upon the east and west. 
Along the northern mountain ranges, until Greylock's saddle-shaped 
mountain towers up blue and dim into fleecy cloudland. Then along to 
the east, where the Monument Mountain seems but a tiny hill against a 
triple range of earth waves, rolling their broad billows away into the 
boundless blue of infinite distance. Mahaiwe's Valley, defined by morn- 
ing mists floating up into the rose light of the upper air, sparkled with 
the silver threads of its streams, — Green River twining through meadows 
' in a path of light,' and Housatonic's deeper waters gleaming gold in the 
sunshine. But, grandest of all, rise the superb domes of the Taconic 
range. Below them, over the southern plains, dimpled with valleys, 
dotted with hills, extend gardens of beauty, pines and elms, and fields of 
golden grain, among which the little villages of Copake and the Hillsdale 
hamlet lie in loveliest grouping. But the eye turns again to the far off 
cloudlands of the southwest, where the dim outlines, blue and misty as 
the heaven above them, of the Hudson highlands extend along the hori- 
zon. Then the Catskills take up the sublime story of eternal repose, and 
along the western sky they lead on to the Helderberg range and the 
Adirondacks of the north." 



MOUNT ^WASHINGTON. 




HIS town is one of the highest in the county 
and, of course, in the State, and its dry, 
salubrious, cool summer climate is ex- 
tremely refreshing to the city resident. 
The habitable portion of the mountain is 
a broad valley, on the slopes of which a few 
people live, above them rising many sum- 
mits, down which come the cooler breezes 
of the upper air. To this mountain town 
city people have come for years, and found 
entertainment at farmers' houses; and, with 
the increase of their profits, the farmers 
have enlarged their houses and prepared them comfortably for the 
reception of boarders. The first people who came to the mountain 
found keeping at "Farmer" Smith's about 1850, and it is believed that 
his first guests were Dr. Torrey and family, of Boston. Since that time 
the house has contained many people, some of them famous, as the old 
registers of visitors prove. All that the autogi-aph fiends have left of 
them are now in possession of Isaac Spurr. 

The next one to keep boarders was Isaac Spurr, in 1861. He recalls in 
pleasant memoiy that the first dollar he earned after he was 21 was from 
Mrs. Charles Sedgwick, who came with a party of girls from her school 
in Lenox, and hired him to leave the coal bush and pilot them to the 
summit of the Dome. It was to this place that Catherine E. 
Beecher and her sister, Mrs. Perkins, of Hartford, came years ago. At 
that time Harper'' s Magazine published a fancy sketch, entitled " The 
Little Black Dogs of Berkshire," written by Miss Beecher at Mr. Spurr's. 
Among his guests have been Prof. Joseph Henry, of the Smithsonian In- 
stitution ; Prof. Short, of Columbia College, and members of the Living- 
ston, Ogden, De Puyster and Hoguet families. A few years ago a party 
of sixty-four of the members of the American Institute of Mining Engi- 
neers stayed here for dinner, and the register of that date bears the 
names of T. Sterry Hunt, Joseph D. Weeks, and many other familiar 
names. 



154 THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIKE. 

Such people as the following now come to Mount Washington : Isaac 
Spurr's — Mrs. Thomas D. Pearce, Mrs. M. A. Chapman, Miss M. Cresson, 
all of Philadelphia; Frank Goodrich, Oswald Jackson, New York; Mrs. 
C. B. Williams, Whitestone, L. I.; Miss Gummere, Burlington, N. J.; 
Miss S. F. Corlis, Miss Olivia Rodham, Swarthmore, Pa. At William H. 
Weaver's — Miss B. D. Sharpless, Mrs. Elizabeth Williams, Miss B. Far- 
nail, Philadelphia; the Rev. Thomas Fisher, Hartford; A. A. Patton, 
Yonkers, N. Y. At Ira L. Patterson's — Mrs. H. C. Meinell, Montclair, 
N. J. ; Mr. and Mrs. Janes, New York. Mrs. Janes has been here every 
year since she was a girl. At O. C. Whitbeck's — Dr. Charles Milne, A. 
Frissel, New York; Miss Lever, West New Brighton, Staten Island; 
Lieutenant Schroeder, of the United States navy; Prof. Jean Roemer, C. 
H. Flagg, Thomas S. Strong, New York; Isaac H. Allen, Brooklyn. Mr. 
Whitbeck's is the most elevated boarding house on the Taconics. At 
Frank B. Schutt's there is always a houseful. 

At the Alandar House, which is the largest house on the mountain at 
the south end, and an exceedingly well kept house, too, the following 
have been guests : Mrs. Charles Dudley Warner, Hartford ; W. H. Ham- 
ilton, Mrs. W. B. Wooster, both of Albany; John Ritchie, Jr., Boston; 
the Rev. J. M. Taylor, Providence, R. I. ; Captain A. L. King, Clifton, 
Staten Island; Prof. E. D. Cope, Newbold H. Trotter, Dr. Spencer Trot- 
ter, all of Philadelphia; William Evans, Dr. Joseph Stokes, both of 
Moorestown, N. J. ; Dr. Norman Smith, Dr. John T. Metcalf, the Rev. N. 
E. Cornwall, A. Slaight Jones, all of New York; Mrs. C. P. Newbold, 
Alexander H. Stuart, both of Brooklyn; H. J. Gelieu, Whitestone, L. I.; 
the Rev. James M. Bruce, Hudson, N. Y. 

Several years ago, the late Mrs. T. L. Walsh came here and bought a 
place, to which she came every summer during her life. 

In 18S4, Philii) C. Garrett, of Philadelphia, who had been a guest of 
the Alandar House, bought 1.50 acres of land and built a large, fine cottage 
on a high hill, having the vast side of Mount Alandar, with its many 
gorges, in sight on the west, and mountain tops and wild forests on all 
sides. At this " Wyldmere," Mr. Garrett lives every summer. The be- 
ginning thus made in establishing mountainous homes here must, in 
time, lead to the acquisition of the principal portions of the mountain 
for this purpose. 

Peculiarities of the Town. 

The eight or ten boarding houses of the mountain are only three to 
five miles from the Copake Iron Works Station of the Harlem Railroad. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 155 

New England people commonly ero to Great Barrington, where they are 
met by their future host, who carries them in a wagon ten to fifteen 
miles to his mountain home, a most delightful ride. A stage runs over 
the mountain from Great Barrington to Copake Iron Works, leaving the 
former place at 10 A. m. and the latter at 2 p. m., both daily, except Sun- 
days. Less of the friction of life one could hardly hope to find than in this 
mountain town. Here is no railroad station or express olfice, no tele- 
graph office, no "store" or mauufactory of any description, no grist 
mill, no blacksmith shop, no brass band, no resident lawyer, doctor, or 
clergyman. 

The roads of Mount Washington, though level in few places, are 
easily traveled over and are kept in a good state of repair. 

The Goodale Family. 

At "Sky Farm" at the north end of Mount Washington, at the top 
of the long ascent from Guilder Hollow, for many years lived Henry S. 
and Mrs. D. H. K. Goodale, and their children, Elaine and Dora E., all 
more or less known for their writings in verse and prose. Mrs. Goodale 
has long been a contributor to the best periodical publications, and her 
daughters, at first known as the " Sky Farm poets," achieved fame in 
early girlhood as promising poets of nature. Readers often come across 
the productions of Mrs. Goodale and her daughters in Harper^ s. in Good 
Housekeeping, in St. Nicholas, and in other publications. The Misses 
Goodale have issued several volumes of poems, but the first one, " Apple 
Blossoms," perhaps, met with the best reception, " In Berkshire with 
the Wild Flowers " coming next. The Goodale family left the mountain 
several years ago. 

The Dome of the Taconics. 

There are many places of interest on this mountain, remarkable for 
extensive, wild, picturesque and beautiful scenery. There is no moun- 
tain outlook in Berkshire, indeed there is said to be none in all New 
England not even excepting the White Mountains, that equals, in the 
last two respects, the outlook from the top of the Dome. In a clear 
day, land is visible in Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and New 
York, and it is said that mountains in New Jersey and Pennsylvania 
have been sighted. The intervening country alfords a vast domain for 
the eye to feast upon, as one stands upon this Dome of the Taconics, 
2,624 feet above the ocean and about 2,000 feet above the Housatonic 
valley below. Greylock stands out boldly 40 miles toward the north ; the 
chains of the Catskills, with sharp outlines and peaks, wall in the west 




Sky Farm Cottage. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 157 

at a distance of 35 miles. The Sliawangunk Mountains can be seen far 
in the southwest ; the low hills of Long Island, 100 miles to the south 
have been seen, and blue water beyond, though rarely. The Housatonic 
Valley lies in beauty on the east and the broader Hudson River Valley 
spreads out on the west. Near by, the mountain valleys and summits 
catch the eye, on the remainder of Mount Washington. These appear at 
their best in the early autumn, as may be inferred from a description by 
the Rev. S. W. Powell in the New York Evangelist : " I could see look- 
ing westward, that the dark green of the hemlock was everywhere 
* picked out ' by the scarlet of the sumac and soft maple ; while the oak, 
the beech, and the chestnut gave less vivid browns, reds, and yellows. 
Here and there the bright gold of the sugar maple lit up the space 
around it. Everywhere birches and hard maples just beginning to turn, 
afforded lovely olive tints. Several side-hills were solid masses of gold, 
while in some places naked cliffs that were almost waste gave, so to 
speak, a deep bass to the great symphony of color." 

The first published reference to an ascent of the Dome was that of 
President Dwight of Yale, in 1781. The following is an extract from 
Prof. Hitchcock's Geology of Massachusetts, relating to the Dome : " The 
central part is somewhat conical, almost naked eminence ; except that, 
numerous yellow pines, two or three feet high, and huckleberry bushes 
have fixed themselves wherever the ci'evices of the rock afford sufficient 
soil. Hence the view from the summit is entirely unobstructed. And 
what a view ! 

' In depth, in height, in circuit, how serene ! 
The spectacle, how pure ! — of nature's works 

In earth and air, 
A revelation infinite it seems. ' 

You feel yourself to be standing above everything around you, and feel 
the proud consciousness of literally looking down upon all terrestrial 
scenes. Before you on the east, the valley through which the Housa- 
tonic wanders, stretches far northward in Massachusetts, and southward 
into Connecticut, sprinkled over with copse and glebe, with small sheets 
of water and beautiful villages. To the southeast, especially, a large 
sheet of water appears (Twin Lakes), of surpassing beauty. In the 
southwest the gigantic Alandar, Riga and other mountains more re- 
mote, seem to bear the blue heavens on their heads in calm majesty; 
while stretching across the far distant west, the Catskills hang like the 
curtains of the sky. Oh ! what a glorious display of mountains all around 
you! And how does one in such a spot turn round and round, and drink 



158 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

in new glories, and feel liis heart swelling more and more with emotions 
of sublimity, until the tired optic nerve shrinks from its office. This 
certainly is the grandest prospect in Massachusetts [Prof. Hitchcock 
had explored the whole State] and the first hour that one spends in such 
a spot is among the richest treasures that memory lays up in her 
storehouse." 

The Rev. J. T. Headley, the biographer, is among the many men who 
have gone into ecstasies over the scene from the Dome. He writes: 
*' You are the center of a circle of at least 350 miles in circumference; 
and such a circle ! I cannot tell of the prodigality of beauty that meets 
the eye at every turn. You seem to look on the outer wall of creation, 
and this old Dome seems to be the spot on which nature set her great 
compasses when she drew the circle of the heavens. A more beautiful 
horizon I have never seen than sweeps around you from this spot. The 
charm of the view is perfect on every side — a panorama, which becomes 
a moving one if you will but take the trouble to turn it round." 

There has long been a protest against adopting the name that Prof. 
Hitchcock gave to this summit — Mount Everett — and as the way to 
abandon the name is to first make beginning, we voice the united public 
sentiment of the region and use "The Dome of the Taconics" (often 
abbreviated to " The Dome,") to designate this mountain. As long ago 
as 18.50, Miss Sedgwick, during one of her visits from Lenox, wrote in 
the register at " Farmer" Smith's: 

"Oh call it not Mt. Everett! 

Forever 'tis the Dome 
Of the great Temple God has reared 

In this, our Berkshire home." 

The best authorities now say that Taconic is the corruption of an Indian 
word meaning the smaller of two sources of a river, and applied to the 
Bashbish stream. Through the misunderstanding of the settlers the 
name was given to the mountain down which the stream comes, and 
later the whole range got the name. The town of Mount Washington 
ought to have been named Taconic, for the present name is not so ap- 
propriate and is misleading. The main road leading to the Dome begins 
on the opposite side of the road from the Walsh place, but a road from 
the Smith place joins it. 

BASHBISH. 

Along the eastern side of Alandar runs toward the north a stream that, 
lower down, is called the Bashbish. It has been said to be an Indian 
onomatopoetic name, suggested by the sound of the falling water, and 




Bashbish Lower Falls. 



160 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



Miss Sedgwick thought it to be of Swiss origin; but these are errors, for 
the name is undoubtedly of vulgar origin, coming to its present form 
from the Dutch corruption of English. Just opposite the perpendicular 
north end of Alandar, after plunging 200 feet, in all, down through a 
narrow rocky gorge, whose sides tower 200 and 300 feet above, over sev- 
eral precipitous slopes that, taken together, are the noted Bashbish 
Falls; and just after the last leap of sixty feet, where the water is divided 
by a huge boulder on the brink, the stream turns sharp to the west, and 
goes dancing away to join the Hudson through a gorge made by the north 
end of Alandar and the south end of Cedar Mountain. Below the falls 
it descends 300 feet in a short distance. Into the valley of this roman- 
tic stream, from either side above the falls, come several tributary 
narrow valleys, which in their lower portions are narrow gorges, and to 
clamber through them is so difficult, and often so dangerous, as to be 
very enticing to those of an adventurous turn of mind. A trij) to the 
Falls is always a day's excursion, and should include a walk fi'om 
the lower falls to the Eagle's Nest, to the Look-off, and to the upper 
falls, and returning by the highway. When going down the road in the 
gorge above the falls, the Old Man of the Mountain, or Profile Rock, will 
be seen high up on the right. This towering head is approachable from 
above, and commands a magnificent view of the gorge, the Catskills and 
the intervening country. 

Beecher wrote of this place in his Star Papers: " I would willingly 
make the journey once a month from New York to see it." A sample 
ride to Bashbish from any of the towns of the Housatonic Valley is thus 
described by a Lenox correspondent of the Home Journal in early 
autumn: "Last week twelve ladies and gentlemen, on pleasure bent, 
filled a mountain wagon, and, with six good horses, took the drive from 
this dear old Lenox through the lovely village of Great Barrington to 
Bashbish. Soft autumn winds, laden with balm, and the mingled odor 
of late fruits, pine, wintergreen and flowers, came to us from the beauti- 
ful Berkshire Hills ; winds which felt as if they might drive away all care 
and trouble, fine old elms arched overhead, fields spread oat far and 
hazy, unseen brooks babbled by, all seemed full of so much peace that I 
longed for the language of a poet to express my uplifted joyous feel- 
ings." On the way home in the evening, " the tender glow of the sunset 
lingered over the darkening mountains; stars peeped out here and there; 
the Housatonic Eiver softly rushed along the base of the hills, while 
' in Nature's eyes we looked and rejoiced,' and wished our New York 
friends could have longer enjoyed this peace, this absolute repose, this 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 161 



regular life, which secures bodily health and gives tone to the mind ; 
away from the great centers of culture, yet so much mental and social re- 
finement within our reach, so much that is beautiful in nature to make 
the current of existence flow placidly on." 

A pupil in Mount Holyoke Seminary visited this place many years ago, 
and was moved to compose a fanciful legendary poem, in the preface of 
which she wrote: The Bashbish Falls "are the anthem of Nature's 
hymn in New England, sent up to heaven from her wildest work. As I 
gazed upon those falls and the gray old mountains between which they 
dashed, I could exclaim: ' Oh! there is in Nature's charms a poetry so 
wild and deep that even a savage soul must bow and own its magic 
power.' " A traveler writes: Though the visitor " may have gazed upon 
the wonders of Alpine scenery and the sublime revelations of the Valley 
of the Yosemite, and have listened to the awful thunder of Niagara, it is 
not without a silencing thrill of delight that the cataract of Bashbish 
greets the vision." After lying on the rock at the "Look-off," and look- 
ing over and down, "steady, indeed, must be the nerves that can arise 
from the prostrate position entirely unshaken." " It may be safely 
averred that there is scarcely on all the earth's surface so sublime a 
freak of nature as little known beyond its surrounding neighborhood." 

Prof. Hitchcock wrote a long account of Bashbish. Here, he says, is 
" the most remarkable and interesting gorge and cascade in Massachu- 
setts." Referring to the Look-off, he writes: " I have scarcely ever felt 
such a creeping and shrinking of the nerves and such a disposition to 
draw back as here. Even though I took hold of the bushes with both 
hands, I could not comfortably keep my eye turned long into the fright- 
ful and yawning gulf. * * * Many persons who visit the falls do not 
ascend this precipice, but they lose more than half the interest of the 
scene. I feel the paucity of description for delineating such scenery." 
From the Look-off to the water directly below it is 194 feet, and to the 
foot of the lower falls about 350 feet, in a line somewhat inclined from 
perpendicular, but seemingly almost directly below. 

Alandar Ravine. 

Along the eastern base of Mount Alandar is Alandar Ravine, one of re- 
markable wildness, where the old forest, the ragged rocks and the 
stream make some uncommon effects. A little below the old mill dam 
are noteworthy cascades. From this old mill site, which is a mile from 
the Alandar House, a path leads to the top of Alandar, a rare walk of 
three miles. 



162 the book of bekkshire. 

Mount Alandar. 

From the Bashbisli Look-off a path runs to the north end of Alan- 
dar and along its ridge for about four miles south, where, after a 
sharp rise of about 100 feet, it goes on rising gradually to its highest 
point, which is marked by one of the signal poles of the United States 
Geological Survey at an elevation of 2,200 feet. " All along the ridge of 
Alandar," writes a correspondent of the New York Evening Post, "one 
gets a succession of beautiful views ; and, especially, when the autumn 
colors are in their glory, one seems to be walking upon a great cloud 
shot through with the richest hues of sunset. Crimsons, scarlets, bright 
and old gold, bronzes, mauves, olives, etc., mingled with the various 
shades of green afforded by oaks and birches not yet touched, by the 
laurel, by pine of two or three varieties, and by the sombre hemlocks — 
all these, and many intermediate tints of brown, red, and gray are ex- 
quisitely mingled and proportioned." 

At the foot of Alandar on the west side, half a mile south of the 
Douglass place, is a great rock with a cavity underneath. From this is- 
sues a large stream of the purest and coldest water, and a very per- 
ceptible current of cold air. Tracks of animals have been seen leading 
into the cavern at one side. It is said that a boy has crawled into this 
crevice a considerable distance, and it is thought that there is a lake and 
a cave under the mountain. The water does not change with season in 
temperature or volume. 

Bear Rock and Taconic Falls. 

A most sightly and easily accessible place on the brow of the south 
end of Mount Race, a quarter of a mile in a direct line from Sage's 
Ravine and about a mile above the under mountain road, is Bear Rock, 
over which the outlet of Plantain Pond descends and makes the Taconic 
Falls. The water makes short work of a fall of several hundred feet, 
and the plunge over the rock in an early perpendicular cascade is visible 
from many points in the Housatonic valley in the south end of the 
county. The water descends 465 feet in falls and almost perpendicular 
cascades. The view from this rock is as indescribable as any in the 
county, it Is so extensive, grand, beautiful, everything in one. Looking 
north one sees a mile away a precipice of more than a thousand feet on 
the east side of Race Mountain. The rock is generally approached over 
the east road on Mount Washington when the wagon is well loaded. A 
shorter way is up the steep road from below, a little north of Sage's 
Ravine; this road is so nearly on end that some people are frightened in 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 163 



riding over it; horses cannot draw much of a load up the ascent, nor 
hold back much going down. A few feet north of the place where the 
stream crosses the road, turn to the east and a few steps will take one 
to the rock. A walk of 2^ miles from the Alandar House follows an 
old road through the woods west of Plantain Pond to Bear Hock. 

Other Places of Interest. 

Plantain Pond, a short distance back of Bear Rock, and Guilder Pond, 
at the north base of the Dome, are sheets of clear water, surrounded by 
mountain summits and with a forest margin, so that they look precisely 
like many an Adirondack lake. Guilder Lake is seen on the trip to the 
Dome, and Plantain Lake on the Bear Rock trip. 

There are paths to nearly all the mountain tops, to Ethel, Cedar, 1,775 
feet high ; Fray, 1,915 feet; Race, 2,300 feet; West, 2,300 feet; and Bear 
Mountain. The last is in the territory of Salisbury, Conn., and is the 
highest land in Connecticut, with an elevation of 2,250 feet. It is but two 
miles from the Alandar House on Mount Washington, by a new path of 
half a mile leading from the highway. Fifty rods back of Mr. Garrett's 
house is a small lake of eight by ten acres, called Wyldmere, and imme- 
diately back of this is Lee Mountain, to the summit of which walks are 
made from the Alandar House. 

Drives are often made from Mount Washington to Lakeville, Conn., a 
distance of 12 to 17 miles, and to the Twin Lakes, 15 to 20 miles distant. 
Mount Riga lies south of Mount Washington, and for its attractions see 
the article on Salisbury. Monument Mountain, south of Alandar, has 
on its summit a monument that was erected in 1725 at the north- 
west corner of Connecticut. 

Sunset Mountain. 

One can drive to the top of Sunset Mountain, 1790 feet high, half a 
mile southwest of O. C. Whitbeck's, and hence it is more frequently 
visited than any other summit. Here, writes Mrs. D. H. R. Goodale, 
"The grandly outlined hills seem to stand about with a friendly near- 
ness, even when the purple duskiness of twilight is in all their folds, 
while, to the west, far off the slow-dropping sun floods the blue Cats- 
kills with his golden glory, and illumines their shadowy cloves, as he 
paints upon the sky above them all the evanishing splendor of his 
cloud-castles! The beautiful valley between, with its breadth of forest 
and field, with its nestling homes, its waving grain and clustering or- 
chards, takes on, moment by moment, those wonderful gradations of 



164 THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 

light and color that are the despair of painters. Through the air comes 
the soft tinkle of a distant cow-bell; peace is descending with the gather- 
ing darkness; the twilight is creeping on, but through its bush, the 
warmth, the glow, the promise of the sunset glory lingers in our hearts." 

What was formerly a part of the town of Mount Washington, Boston 
Corners, was set off to New York, because a prisoner arrested there 
could not be brought to a Massachusetts court without taking him 
through New York territory. At that place the celebrated fight between 
Tom Hyers and Yankee Sullivan took place, with an accompanying as- 
semblage of ruffians. 

About half a mile north of the Boston Corners station of the Harlem 
railway is a steep gorge on the west side df the mountain called the 
Blow Hole, where the wind concentrates and rushes down with tre- 
mendous force when it comes from the east. It sweeps across the Har- 
lem railroad at this place and is sometimes dangerous to passing trains. 
Several years ago a passenger train was blown from the track by the 
wind coming down this Blow Hole. 

A Few of Many Tributes. 

Prof. Hitchcock, in his report on the geology of Massachusetts, says 
that the scenery in and from this town would almost repay a lover of 
nature for a voyage across the Atlantic. " To one who has a taste for 
the wild, the romantic and the grand in nature, those two days [spent on 
the Dome and at Bashbish] will be a season of delightful emotions." 

A part of Mrs. Goodale's tribute to this town is as follows : " High amid 
the hills of extreme Southern Beikshire, uplifted skyward where light 
and air, color, perfumery, song and silence of the summer days all come 
and go, pure, free, spontaneous, each with its own delicious, subtle 
charm, lies Mount Washington. Girt about with the everlasting hills in 
their serene steadfastness, with the wild Bashbish gorge on the south- 
west, and the western outlook bounded by the beautiful range of the 
Catskills, in no part of Berkshire is to be found more of the native 
majesty and loveliness of Nature. Green fields, cattle upon the hills, 
and scattered farm-houses speak of the hand of man, and yet there are 
broad sti'etches of woodland, occasionally, indeed, laid low by the wood- 
chopper's axe, and plumed with the soft, wavering smoke column of 
the charcoal pit, but oftener answering only to the rhythmic fingers of 
the wind, and echoing no harsher sounds than the cooing of the wood- 
dove, or the persistent plaint of the whii>poor-will." 

An autumn correspondent of the New York Evening Post writes: "I 



THE r.OOK OF IJEIJKSIIIRK. 



16;- 



had a large parlor, with a stove in it and a bed-room connecting. From 
all my windows the grandest and loveliest scenery was always inviting' 
the eye. Within a few minutes' walk over a notch in Ashley Hill, 1 
could be in the great lonely wilderness, stretching away west and north 
to Alandar, and which at all times of day, but especially in the aftei-- 
noon, was fairly palpitating with vivid color. On returning from long, 
bewitching tramps in that fairy-land to ray good supper, my cozy lamp 
and long, restful evening over easy vacation reading, I was not obliged 
to take off my comfortable, easy flannels, or to listen to the chatter of a 
lot of fashionable fellow boarders; and, withal, the price at which I was 
gladly accommodated was less than that which in the summer months I 
must have paid for far more contracted and less comfoi-table accommoda- 
tions. By all means, let the lover of color, of tramping, and real comfort 
come just as the leaves begin to turn," about the 20th of September. 




— jrtwra^T^i 




I.— Campbell's Falls, New Marlboro. 2.— Hotel, Bashbish Falls. 3.— Eastern Portal, 
Hoosac Tunnel. 4.— Natural Bridge, North Adams. 5.— Upper Bashbish Falls. 



NORTH ADAMS. 

-^^"^ORTH ADAMS is the largest town in Berkshire county.* The 
^\ peculiarity of this part of the county is that the valleys are 

'^ narrow; there are no sweeps or basins like those at Pittsfield 
^W 1 and at Stockbridge, nor yet at Great Barrington. The mountain 
* peaks, thrown up in great profusion, among which Greylock 
sits as king wherever you go, are nearer together and the valleys are 
in some places little more than defiles or gorges. Coming from the 
south, the Hoosac Valley is the path over which you go, beginning 
below Cheshire, nearly to Pittsfield, where the head waters of the 
Hoosac and a branch of the Housatonic rise almost in the same spring. 
At Adams, the valley is quite narrow, widening a little at the north 
line of that town and the boundary of North Adams until nearly to 
North Adams village, where it narrows again to a width of about a half 
mile. Looking straight ahead north, as one enters North Adams up 
this south branch of the Hoosac, the mountains rise up before one 
as though a dead stop had come; but the river finds its way to the 
west through a narrow pass for some distance, on towards Williamstown. 
In that direction, called at North Adams, the Williamstown Valley, it is 
wider again, and yet the grand old hills are on both sides with delight- 
fully panoramic views, as the distance opens, one after another. From 
the village of North Adams, as a base of observation, the other valley is 
to the east, following close the east branch of the Hoosac, a goodly 
stream tumbling turbulently down the incline, all the way through 
Clarksburg. This east valley is narrow, in places almost a gorge, along 
which the highway winds, while on the right, following that stream 
northeast from the village, the everlasting hills rise continuously. This 
valley runs on through Clarksburg into Vermont and widens out into a 
magnificent valley at Stamford ; in that state to be sure, but so near 
North Adams and having its business so closely identified with it that it 
hardly seems that Stamford is out of Berkshire. 

The Busy Village. 

So, the peculiarity of North Adams lies in the fact that it has three 
valleys, each with many natural beauties, peculiar to itself, and these are, 
the Hoosac, coming from the south, its continuation to the west, called 

* Pittsfield having foregone that distinction by becoming a city. 



168 THE BOOK OF BEKKSIIIKE. 

the Williamstown Yalley ; and, to the east, down which the east branch 
of the Hoosac runs, that known as the Stamford Valley. Along these 
valleys lies the village of North Adams, sometimes called "The Tunnel 
City," and it is so hidden in the valleys, in quiet dells and nooks, that a 
good view of the village is not obtained unless from some lofty height. 
Its population is estimated at about 15,000, and is a busy and enter- 
prising hive of manufacturing and commercial life ; every man is a 
laborer, as it were, and there is probably no other village of its size in the 
state which has so many self-made men. The Hoosac is lined with mills 
and factories and the different industries have given names to the villa- 
ges grown up about them, as, "The Union," " Braytonville," "Grey- 
lock," "The Beaver," " The Glen," and many others. The main village 
is compactly built, and its mills are in the very center. 

The town's history runs back to the French and Indian war, and the 
site of the old Fort Massachusetts on the Hoosac Kiver, near Brayton- 
ville, between North Adams and Williamstown, is marked by an elm 
tree which was planted many years ago by the Williams College students. 
It is on the Harrison farm, and it is a wonder to many why the fort 
should have been placed there, for on each side are sharp ledges, from 
which the Indians could command almost with ease the interior of the 

stockade and foit. 

Natural Scenery. 

The natural scenery of North Adams is luiexcelled in the county. It is 
all the more grand because the narrow valleys bring it so near. There 
are no distant outlines to cut the horizon but, rising almost abruptly 
from the valleys, the mountains lift their majestic heads. Com- 
ing up the south valley, the Hoosac, on the right, to the east, are the 
Green Mountains, or the Hoosacs, as they are called, and, by some, the 
Florida range, under which, two miles from the village, the vast Hoosac 
Tunnel was bored. To the left of this valley are the Taconics, with 
Greylock in plain view. There are first the foot hills, then a valley be- 
yond and, farther on, the peaks of the more abrupt mountains, such as 
Mount Williams and Bald Mountain. The eye rests on many prominent 
clear-cut views of mountain scenery in this valley, which are almost inde- 
scribable. To the west, in the Williamstown valleys, are the same 
ranges, this spur of the Taconics, thi'own off, as it were, from the main 
range, the Saddle and Pine Cobble on the left, and the other peaks 
farther in Williamstown, making a beautiful valley and superb mountain 
views. North of the village, and almost making an impenetrable barrier, 
is the Pine Cobble, which, in the earlier years, was a great resort for 



THE BOOK, OF BERKSHIRE. IQQ 



rattlesnakes, and it was the holiday of the town at the pi'oper season 
to make a "bee," and go thence to dispatch the reptiles; there are yet 
many snake stories to be heard in the village of the wonderful exploits 
on these occasions. In the east valley, or the Stamford, the Green 
Mountain range is unbroken, excepting by this valley, which affords 
many beautiful views. 

In the Hoosac Valley, a mile or so below the village towards Adams, 
are several hills like haystacks, say fifty feet high, and a perfect cone in 
some instances, resembling an Indian mound. Prof. Hitchcock says of 
them that, in the glacial period, these were brought down from the 
Hoosacs. In many places in the valley there are clear evidences of the 
work of the glacial period, and in the village, at Furnace Hill, the glacial 
scratches are plainly visible. One case near the little tunnel is pecu- 
liarly marked. 

To the north is Clarksburg, and the hills on the north boundary of the 
village, in the locality known as Houghtonville, are in that town. From 
this portion of the village a magnificent view is had down the valley to 
Adams. On the hills west of the village and on the top of which the 
reservoir of the village water-works is located, another excellent view of 
North Adams is obtained. Witt's Ledge, a stone quarry in the edge of 
the village, one of the prominent hills of the Taconic range, is a fine 
walk of ten minutes and opens an enchanting panorama below, while its 
geological formation is also a most interesting subject for the student. 

The Natural Bridge. 

Emptying into the east branch of the Hoosac a mile from the center, 
is Hudson's Brook, rising in Clarksburg, and upon which stream is the 
great curiosity of Northern Berkshire, the Natural Bridge. This was 
the spot which entranced Hawthorne, who spent a long time in North 
Adams and whose " American Notes " brings into prominence many 
characters of the town in past years. This enlarged fissure, down 
through which the water rushes, is in white marble, discolored by time 
and the action of the water so that the stones are gray. A view of the 
bridge is given in this book. The depth of the fissure is at least sixty 
feet and at several points the stone almost closes over. The upper end of 
the chasm is very narrow, but it widens after the plunge of the stream and 
is accessible, forming a spacious chamber. The echoes are grand in the 
subterranean passage. There are numerous pools, and protruding spurs 
or rocks divide the stream, so that each fissure is almost a cave by itself. 

The stream once fell over a high precipice on the south, but, through 
11 



170 THE BOOK OF BEBKSHIRE. 



chemical action, has disintegrated the limestone beneath it, leaving two 
masses of rock connecting the sides and forming natural bridges, though 
the upper one is much broken. The lower one is arched and the stream 
runs 50 feet below it, the average width of the brook being about 15 
feet. In times of low water, people walk beneath the bridge. A cave 
exists a little west of the top of the chasm, large enough to be entered with 
some trouble, and permitting one to stand erect in some places. The 
history of this discovery is that a man named Hudson, living in Clarks- 
burg, cai"rying home a deer and passing this spot, let it slip from his 
shoulder and lost it down a hole into the cave. It is without doubt one 
of the most romantic spots and one of the rarest bits of the work of 
nature, in all Berkshire. It is within easy walking distance from the 
village. 

POIXTS OF IXTEREST. 

Up on the Florida mountain east of the village some of the finest of 
views are obtainable. From this point the Rev. Washington Gladden 
received an inspiration which kindled his soul as he gazed on the en- 
chanted scene far below him. In a word, while the village below is un- 
attractive in broad avenues and shaded walks, and while there are no 
lawns and grounds and surroundings of the ideal " country seat," yet, 
from any eminence where the village is snuggling at your feet, you are 
struck with its unique situation, hidden away in the glens and dells. 

The Notch is an interesting part of the town, west of the village. The 
foot hills, Witt's Ledge and the other hill continuing south, are its 
eastern boundary and the mountains in the Taconic spur, its western. 
The Xotch brook supplies the town with water, and the stream has 
upon it " The Cascade," where the mountain stream comes tumbling 
saucily along until it makes an abrupt plunge of about 40 feet into the 
abyss below. There is a deep gorge between the hills, with overhang- 
ing rocks covered with moss and ferns, and here in the deep shade 
of the pines the situation is somber and romantic. In this range of foot 
hills tradition has it that there exists a cave, but of late years its exact 
location is not known. 

Business Charactek. 
Thei'e have been no old families to give the town a social reputation, 
and it has never been a resort for the summer visitors. It is too busy, 
and there is a hum in the air of the industry and push of the place. But 
the visitor will find the friendliness and the hospitality of the town won- 
derfully refreshing and cordial. The building of the Hoosac Tunnel, the 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 171 



greatest engineering feat of the kind in the country, gave the town a 
great start in a business ■vray. The work, while altogether under the 
Hoosac Mountain in Florida, and in part the other side, was, nevertheless, 
a Xorth Adams affair, and the village reaped a substantial benefit from 
it. The tunnel, of which we give views and a sketch elsewhere, is 25,081 
feet — or four and three-quarter miles — long, through solid rock the entire 
distance. It has cost millions of money, and is the proj^erty of the 
Fitchburg Railroad Company which purchased it from the State in 1SS7, 
together with the forty-four miles of road-bed between the Vermont line 
and the Connecticut River at Greenlield. 

North Adams is the greatest railroad center in Berkshire. From the 
south is the Pittsfield and North Adams branch of the Boston and Albany 
Railroad; from the east the Fitchburg Railroad, now connecting with 
the New Haven and Northampton Railroad. The Fitchburg has absorbed 
the Troy and Boston, and the Boston, Hoosac Tunnel and Western Rail- 
ways, and now furnishes connections west. A street railroad was built 
in 1886-7 between North Adams and Adams, six miles south. The road 
was purchased in 1888 by the Thompson-Houston Electric Company, and 
the year following was equipped with the electric system. 

The Fitchburg Railroad, Hoosac Tunnel route, is the only line which 
runs to Williamstown. Passengers from the south should see that their 
tickets read, Troy to Williamstown, During the summer the train service 
from Troy and from Boston to Williamstown is all that can be desired. 

So5iE Village Institutions. 

A few years ago S. A. Kemp gave to the town twenty acres of land, on 
which is a grove, on the hillside just east of the village, for a park, and 
every year the town is making a good aijpropriation for its improve- 
ment. A free library was established in 1884, now having about 12,000 
volumes, and a free reading room. A mile west of the village are the 
grounds of the Hoosac Valley Agricultural Society, with a fine half-mile 
track, where racing is often indulged in. The schools of North Adams 
are probably the best in Berkshire. As the result of a serious accident 
in the railroad yard, in 1883, the citizens of the town subscribed liberally 
for the erection of a hospital, which occupies a place on the hill north of 
the village, and from its veranda a charming view of the landscape be- 
low is enjoyed. There are three social clubs — the North Adams Club, 
with a membership embracing some of the prominent business men of 
the town, who have tastefully arranged rooms on Main street, the Club 
Brunswick, composed of younger men, who occupy cozy quarters on 



172 THE BOOK OF BKRKSHIKE. 

Main street, and the Washington, which is pleasantly located in the new 
Blackinton block on Main street. In addition to these clubs there are 
numerous secret orders, all of which seem to flourish. The receptions 
given by the social organizations of the town are noted, and at more than 
one of them the governors of the State have graced the occasions with 
their presence. 

The pulpit of the Congregational church has been filled by men of 
wide reputation, among them being the Rev. Washington Gladden, who 
as a writer has made a national reputation ; Prof. Llewellyn Pratt, of the 
Hartford Theological Seminary, and the Kev. Theodore T. Hunger, now 
of New Haven, whose books have attracted much attention. 

The Dkives. 

The narrow valleys in v/hich North Adams is located makes it impossi- 
ble to have such numerous di'ives in the immediate vicinity as there are in 
many other towns. What there are are ro^nantic, and make up in beauty 
and variety of scenery what they lack in number. No town in Berkshire 
offers more rare views and glimpses of the valley and mountain, with far- 
reaching lookouts and look-offs, than North Adams ; for a new view, or a 
new panorama, as in the turning of a kaleidescope, is offered at almost 
every turn. 

The drive up the Notch road is romantic. This was the old route to 
Adams, and is one of the wildest in the county. The road in many 
places is exceedingly steep, and, running along the mountain side, above 
the valley, the villages are in plain sight away down below. This road is 
continued for six miles after leaving the Notch road proj^er, and comes- 
out in Adams by the old Quaker church. In many places the trees over- 
hang the highway, making a delightful shade, and some abrupt turn in 
the road will open to view a most magnificent surprise of scenery below. 
The trip this way and back from Adams up the valley is about twelve miles. 
North Adams, seen below in the night from, this road on the mountain, 
is beyond descrii^tion. The drive east, from Main street at the Wilson 
House or Kichmond House as starting points, through Union street, past 
the Freeman Print Works, through the Beaver, to Briggsville, following 
the east branch of the Hoosac, to Clarksburg, is a pleasant one, over 
a highway finely shaded. Continuing to Stamford and the Paradise 
Hotel, famous for its trout suppers, is an easy grade and a drive of about 
five miles. It is the most frequently taken of all the drives out of North 
Adams. Another drive, longer, but highly romantic, is to take the east 
road out of the village to the "Five Roads," li miles, then turning 



THE BOOK OF BERKSIIIKE. 173 



directly to the left, and thence to Stamford, having the summit of 
the mountain for the highway and the valley below as the picture, return- 
ing from Stamford by the other route named, — a very good twelve-mile 
di-ive. In the east part of the village are many views of the town. 

There are many walks of a few minutes that open wonderfully interest- 
ing views. To Witts Ledge; to Thayer Pond, now the reservoir of the 
Freeman Manufacturing Company, on the hill east of the village; to the 
Hospital and the road leading east from there to the Natural Bridge; up 
in Houghton ville on the high ground in Clarksburg, and many others, as 
fancy leads. All of them present different pictures, and it is peculiar of 
Noi'th Adams that its short walks brings out as many pretty views as 
a drive of two or three miles would afford in other places where the val- 
veys are wider. 

The west shaft of the Tunnel, two miles southeast of the village is 
a romantic spot. The buildings are decayed, but the pile of debris is 
simply remarkable. Here are the works of Prof. Mowbray, who, during 
the building of the Tunnel, manufactured nitro-glycerine ; the place has 
been the scene of two or three serious and damaging explosions. It 
is easily reached with a carriage, and there is a good view of the vil- 
lage in the south valley and down towards Adams, that is worth a trip 
there. The place is frequently resorted to. Near this place is the reser- 
voir of the Arnold Print Works, collecting the 600 gallons of water which 
flows every minute from the west portal of the Tunnel and conveying it in 
pipes to the railroad station and the mills farther down in the village. 
The west portal of the Tunnel is near and is worth a visit. Huge 
doors close the entrance to the Tunnel, when necessary, and there is a 
block signal station at this point. Another short drive and one fre- 
quently made is to go down Church street into a by-road leading to 
the west shaft, then turning north, following a valley with a view of the 
village to the left and the high range of mountains abruptly rising oppo- 
site, to Main street back to the village — a drive of four miles. Still 
another drive is to the central shaft of the Hoosac Tunnel in Floi'ida. 
The view of the valley below when the summit of the mountain is reached 
beggars description. It makes a pretty ten-mile drive there and return. 

What is called the grandest drive of all, and occupying a day, is to 
go east over through Florida with its many romantic views, to Hoosac 
Tunnel Station in the Deerfield Valley; then going north, following the 
Deerfield Valley to Readsboro City, where are the extensive opei-ations 
of the Messrs. Newton, who have built a narrow gauge road thereto ; then 
to Hartwellville, in Vermont, and to Stamford, returning direct to North 



174 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

Adams, the trip beiug about 35 miles. This gives a good view of both 
the Hoosac and the Deerfield Valleys. A complete list of drives will be 
found elsewhere, and mention of the numerous attractions in neigh- 
boring towns appears in the articles on those towns. 

The Brain and Brawn. 

The town has an excellent set of business men, and has sent out some 
good representatives. Hiram Sibley, the head of the great seed houses at 
Rochester and Chicago, was a North Adams boy. The handsome Episco- 
pal church in the village was the gift of Mrs. Sibley, also a native of 
North Adams. The Tinker family has been identified with the growth and 
prosperity of the town. The Blacldntons have also added their energies 
to advance its temporal interests; the Braytons and the Richmond fami- 
lies have been identified with the town in many ways from its earliest 
days. George Millard was the pioneer of the shoe industry. James 
Marshall was pioneer in the business life of the town; Sylvander John- 
son's efforts succeeded in aiding the Tunnel work in its darkest hours. 
A. B. Wilson, the inventor of the Wheeler and Wilson sewing machine, 
went out of the town with his model under his arm and achieved fortune; 
the Wilson house is his local monument. 

The Hodges were among the pioneers; there were Samuel Gaylord, 
A. W. Richardson, the Cadys, the Arnolds, for many years the print 
works' owners and men of character and stability; W. W. Freeman, the 
early manufacturer of calicoes; and Judge James T. Robinson, editor 
and orator. Senator Dawes began his ]n-actice and made his first politi- 
cal reputation in North Adams. In the life's busy day there are the Gal- 
lups, A. C. Houghton, Col. John Bracewell; Prof. Mowbray, of nitro- 
glycerine fame; O. A. Archer, of Blackinton; Cashier Wilkinson, Judge 
George P. Lawrence, Frank S. Richardson, president of the gas and elec- 
tric light companies; F. E. Swift, the Messrs. Cady, W. H. Gaylord, C. 
H. Cutting, Dr. George L. Rice, Postmaster Tyler, S. Proctor Thayer, a 
local writer and author. C. T. Sampson, the shoe manufacturer, was 
among the first to utilize Chinese labor in the time of unjust strikes, and 
it may be thrown in here, as a matter of history, that the first Chinese 
to become a naturalized citizen of this country was a resident of North 
Adams. G. H. B. Fisher, W. L. Brown, E. B. Penniman, Austin Bond, 
Manager A. W. Locke, and others might be mentioned, who have taken 
a lively interest in the welfare of the town. 

Fine Places for Summer Residence. 
A portion of the Richmond House was built in 1816. The principal 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



175 



hotels are the Wilson House, of which Foster E. Swift, who was also the 
landlord of the recently burned Greylock Hall at Williamstown, is propri- 
etor; the Eichmond House, of which Mr. L. L. Scott is the proprietor; 
and the Mansion House. 

There are no summer homes in the town as yet; but within a few years 
several handsome dwellings have been built. The hillsides are dotted 
with cottages, and the slopes make sightly places of residence. The ele- 
gant house of the late Sanford Blackinton, on Main street, was for many 
years considered one of the most complete in Berkshire. Then there are 
the houses of A. W. Hodge, W. L. Brown, F. A. Walker, E. B. Penniman, 
F. S. Kichardson, and some others, which are tasteful designs of archi- 
tecture. 

As a whole, North Adams possesses many attractions, and the tourist 
will have much to repay him for the time he may spend in drives, and 
rambles, during the stay that he may make within the town and its 
neighborhood. 




AI>AI*IS. 

THE valley in whicli lies nestled the busy town of Adams is about 
four miles long, through which the south branch of the Hoosac 
runs quite swiftly. The south end of the valley is practically 
walled in, the Hoosac finding its way through a narrow defile, 
while high hills and ragged peaks almost entirely make a barrier of 
rock and wooded slope, which is nearly impassable. By its peculiar for- 
mation, the town abounds in hundreds of slopes and views. 

Greylock. 

To Adams belongs the honor of owning Greylock, the highest peak in 
the State and a monarch of all its fellows, — a point seen fi'om every town 
in Berkshire, almost, and a grand, wild piece of mountain scenery. As 
in North Adams, the valley here is too narrow to admit of many drives in 
the town, excepting as one drives up and down the valley, or to the east- 
ward to Savoy, climbing the hills all the way up to the summit. There 
are, however, no finer views of valley scenery in all Berkshire than 
Adams presents. In the village of Adams one looks Greylock full in the 
eastern face, and, standing in the valley, the ascent looks to be not very 
tedious or difficult; but the reverse is the fact, and, while there are those 
who have made their way to the summit, 3,535 feet high, it is not an un- 
dertaking to be repeated. The description of this sightly place, and the 
views to be obtained there, are in another chapter, under the heading of 
'' Greylock Park." 

The early settlers of Adams were largely from Khode Island, — Baptists 
and Quakers, — from whom excellent citizens have descended. The old 
Quaker meeting house, the only one of the denomination in the county, 
yet stands, although its congregations have long since ceased to worship 
within its walls; but it is not allowed to go to decay, and will always be 
maintained as one of the landmarks of the town. It stands on an emi- 
nence west of the village. 

The Village. 

Adams, as a whole, has about 10,000 people; but the village proper has 
only perhaps half that. In fact, it is a continuation of villages, known 
as Maple Grove, Adams, Renfrew, and Zylonite, which is the station at 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 177 



the Zylonite Works. The town has gas and electric lights, and has of 
late begun to pay attention to its sidewalks. The growth and prosperity 
of Adams has been added to largely within the last decade ; new streets 
have been opened, new manufacturing industries added; and so the vil- 
lagers have been too busy to pay much attention to beautifying the village 
until recently. There are seven churches in the village, viz., Congrega- 
tional, Baptist, Methodist, two Catholic, Universalist, and Episcopal. 
The latter has a beautiful stone edifice, dedicated some three years ago, 
the gift of L. L. Brown, the wealthy paper manufacturer, near his own 
dwelling. To this was added in 18S9 a handsome parish house. In the 
upper story of this building is the fine gymnasium of the Adams Ath- 
letic Club, an organization made up largely of the business and profes- 
sional men of the town. A new town hall, costing some $50,000, was built 
a few years ago, and the upper story is one of the finest play-houses in 
the county. The village has its bank, Masonic lodges of the various de- 
grees, and other secret organizations. The best citizens of the town main- 
tain a Kifle Club, which has a reputation of more than local renown. A 
military organization was formed in 1887. It is called Company M, and 
is part of the regular state militia. The population, because of its man- 
ufacturing establishments, is mixed ; but, as a rule, the town is orderly, 
and it is in a great degree a village of homes. It is not, therefore, a re- 
sort as yet, for everbody is too busy to make it one. 

Sample Drives. 
The drives are many and fine. From the Quaker church, north, is 
one of the wildest and most romantic drives in all Berkshire, following 
up the mountain side west of the village, and thence along the "Notch " 
road to North Adams. The road is probably 1,000 feet above the 
valley, and the view in all directions is one of the rarest grandeur. 
Hills upon hills, and peaks on peaks, are spread out to view. This is a. 
favorite drive from Adams, on through the Notch above North 
Adams, and so on to Williamstown, leaving North Adams to the east. 
Another drive is to go east through Hoosac street, in the village, which 
is a little north of the center of the village, and go directly east, climb- 
ing the east range by an easy ascent to North Savoy. From that place,, 
turning north through Florida to the village of that name, a fine view of 
the Deerfield Valley is obtained. Then returning westward to North 
Adams, and from there down the valley to Adams again, completes a 
popular drive of say twenty-five miles. It is spoken of as an afternoon 
drive, especially in the autumn, when the frost has touched the foliage, 



178 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



as most remarkably enchanting, and, if it can be taken as the sunset is 
about approaching, when the summit above North Adams is reached, it 
is said to add a fascination which nowhere else in Northern Berkshire 
can be obtained. A drive to Savoy Hollow, the location of Bowker's 
Hotel, is another popular seven-mile drive up the hills overlooking the 
village, and this is taken by the villagers and others a good deal, both in 
winter and in summer, for clam bakes, trout suppers, and social parties. 
On the road east of the Zylonite Works, towards the north line of the 
town, is also another fine drive and view. It is near the Kichmond farm, 
now the town poor farm. The writer remembers a genuine surprise he 
received at seeing such a beautiful view laid at his feet; for, as far south 
as the eye could reach, there was a succession of rare bits of scenery, and 
northward the view is equally magnificent. It was all the more surpris- 
ing from the fact that the altitude, a^jparently, above the valley is not 
very considerable. 

One may take the highway a little east of the station at Cheshire Har- 
bor and drive along the east slope of the town, under the base of the 
range of hills and mountains there, with the village of Adams below, to 
North Adams, seven miles, with a magnificent view of the valley all the 
way and the stream and the clustering villages many feet below, and en- 
joy a panorama all the way. Or he may start at Cheshii-e Harbor, turn- 
ing west a little and then north, in the little valley made by the foot 
hills at his then right as he drives north, with the base of the Saddle 
Mountain range to the left, through a farming region, until he emerges 
in the village near the old Quaker church. Then if fancy dictates ho 
may go on north over the romantic Notch. road to North Adams, and 
have at his feet the busy valley again and an entirely different view. 
There are several fine views right in the village, for the high range of 
hills each side of the valley, make a thousand points of varied interest. 
A pretty drive is what is known as the "Pumpkin Hook" road, south 
on the east side, towards the Dry Brook and then to Cheshire, five miles. 

A Thrifty Town. 

The extensive " Greylock" paper mills of the L. L. Brown Paper Com- 
pany are situated in this town, with an auxiliary mill at West Cumming- 
ton, 12 miles away. The mills have long been some of the government 
paper contract mills and the company has the only mill for producing 
hand made papers in the United States. L. L. Brown was the first 
manufacturer in the country to successfully make a specialty of ledger 
and record papers. Beginning in 1850, he soon gained for his paper a 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 179 

reputation second to none in the world. Mr. Brown has had valuable 
aid from his treasurer, T. A. Mole, one of the most genial paper manu- 
facturers in the country. The extensive gingham mills of the Eenfrew 
Manufacturing Company are situated in the north part of the village 
proper; the Plunkett Manufacturing Company and W. B. C. Plunkett's 
Sons are large manufacturers of warps besides gingham fabrics at Grey- 
lock. Near the north line of the town has grown up within a few years one 
of the greatest industries of Berkshire, the manufacture of zylonite, and 
a village has grown up about it of unique and tasteful cottages, a model 
in every way. Besides Mr. Brown and his son-in-law, Emil Kipper, 
several Xew York gentlemen are interested in the enterprise, and ar- 
tesian wells of great depth have been sunk, bringing up water of ex- 
treme purity. The pay rolls of Adams amount to millions of dollars 
annually, and the manufacturers are proverbially helpful to their em- 
ployes in assisting them to homes and caring for their interests. 

The Town's Ancestry and Descendants. 
The town has had a good ancestry. The Uptons were an old Quaker 
family, of which Daniel Upton, now a i^rominent resident, is a good rep- 
resentative. The Anthonys also were an old family, and Susan B. An- 
thony, the well known advocate of the rights of women, was a native of 
Adams. The Fisk family, of which James Fisk, Jr., was a member also 
lived early in the town. The Bowermans, of which were the late S. W. 
Bowerman of Pittsfield and other wealthy members in New York city, 
Avere an old family; the Almys of Salem came from Adams. The How- 
lands settled in that portion of the town now near the northern border 
and have assisted in giving a name and character to the town. The Wil- 
marths were a good family and have descendants in Adams yet; there 
was a large prominent family of the Jenks name, and the Richmonds 
and Deans were of the early families. So, as the years have come 
and gone Adams has had families and men who have sought to give it a 
business name and a good record for the future to look back upon. 
TVilliam C. Plunkett, a member of the family prominent in other parts 
of Berkshire, came to Adams a young man of limited means, but of 
great executive ability and amassed a fortune, gave the town a great 
deal of its thrift and died only a few years ago at a ripe old age, and his 
sons, now here in business are maintaining the honor of the family. 
Governor George N. Briggs, whom all Berkshire speaks of reverently 
for his goodness of heart and purity of life, was born in Adams. The 
Wheelers were a family who have left an impression for good on the 



180 THE BOOK OF BEBKSHTEE. 



town. William Pollock of Pittslield, whose country seat was the finest 
iu the county, made much of his fortune in Adams and Avas the founder 
of the Renfrew Manufacturing Company. The Moles, several bi'others, 
are active and substantial citizens of the town. James Ilenfrew, a 
nephew of Mr. Pollock, of Scotch birth, is also a prominent citizen and 
one of the Renfrew Company's busiest and most energetic stockholders 
and managers. The Adamses, the Phillipses, 11. T. Bliss, Cashier Wel- 
lington and others, are now among the active men of Adams. 

There are no special summer homes in Adams; the town is too much 
of a manufacturing center and its industries are too much in the village 
to admit of it here, but, outside the village the situations for country 
seats are endless and summer visitors would live in a constant round of 
delights. Within a few years there has been an advance in permanent 
homes of architectural beauty and the hillsides scattered all through 
the town afford rare sites for them. The home of L. L. Brown, while 
iiupretentious, is nevertheless a model, and his greenhouses are unex- 
celled, with possibly one exception, in the county. The Plunkett family 
home is also cozily situated in the village and has a home-like air. 
James Renfrew has built within a few years a lai'ge cottage of unique 
architecture on one of the slopes in the east part of the village which 
has one of the most commanding lookouts of the valley to be found in the 
village. The cottage of Mrs. Bliss, daughter of Daniel Upton, is a tasteful 
bit of architecture and well situated, A. B. Mole's new dwelling on the 
Savoy road and overlooking the village, is a fine addition to the town, 
and there are several other dwellings especially on the hill to the 
south, which are really artistic and model homes. The village has 
taken a new start in its homes recently and the move is creditable. 
The old Howland homestead, which is plainly seen from the railway 
at Zylonite station to the west, has been entirely remodeled 
within a few years and is the home of Emil Kipper, of the Zylonite 
Company. The exterior, while attractive, is not to be compared to the 
interior decorations, which are after the Egyptian style, largely, with 
choice furnishings, many of them from Cairo and Turkey. 

We cannot leave Adams without a parting glance at Greylock. The 
ascent is now from the north towards Williamstown or North Adams. 
The road in North Adams, known as the Notch road, is utilized as a 
part of the new highway which was built to the summit in 18S5. From 
the terminus of this Notch road, a new highway has been made, bridges 
have been constructed aci'oss the little mountain streams, so that it is a 
comparatively easy grade all the way to the summit, S or 10 miles. 



orbvi^ock: park. 

To Berkshire and the town of Adams is accorded the king of the 
Xew England mountains, outside of the White Mountains — 
Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts, 3,rj;^5 feet above 
sea level, and 2,800 feet above the valley of the Iloosac, at its 
base. Poets and writers have vied with each other, in song 
and sketch in praise of Greylock, a name applied to the peak from its 
resemljlance to the grey locks of an old man, when the stern old summit 
is crowned with the frosts of winter or late autumn. The range or 
cluster, of which Greylock peak is the center and crowning feature, has 
.six or seven distinct points of prominence, all within the space of about 
seven miles in the towns of Adams, Williamstown and North Adams, 
with a spur thrown off from the south through Cheshire, New Ashford 
and Lauesboro and ending in a slight hill in Pittsfield. The former 
name of the peak, taken in connection with the point next south, was 
Saddle Back, so named from its resemblance to a saddle, but the name 
Greylock, a fit appellation, as one sees it when the fi'osts of winter 
are crowning its summit, with its dome-like top often far above the 
clouds, is the poetic title and one that gives it significance and promi- 
nence the counti-y over. Greylock Park is its new christening, now that 
improvements have been begun upon its summit and the approach thereto. 
If Greylock stood alone in the center of a great plain, or even if the other 
and somewhat lesser mountains were carried away, its gigantic height 
would be more impressive; but the fellows of Greylock detract a good 
deal from its real glory, and one who stands in the village of Adams and 
looks fully into the breast of the monster pile, and then to the summit 
hardly realizes that he is gazing upward 2,800 feet. Its beauties and its 
attractions, its views and its morning panorama of peaks on peaks, and 
sleeping valleys and peaceful lakelets — Greylock by the early sunrise or 
the deepening sunset — all these have been woven into pleasant sketch, 
or poetic sti-ain by pens like Fanny Kemble's, Catherine Sedgwick's, 
President Hitchcock's, Washington Gladden's, " Godfrey Greylock's," 
and many others. There is hardly a point in Berkshire from which 
Greylock cannot be seen, and its form is always discemable and recogni- 
zable from its graceful slope to the east. The nearer views of it are 



182 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIKE. 

grander yet, and from those points where one looks directly into his 
stern old face, as from above Adams, Windsor, or Peru, there steals over 
the beholder a sense of awe and of majesty. 

It always seems as if Greylock stood as a silent, yet ever watchful sen- 
tinel of the north portal of Berkshire and the valley below, conscious of 
his grandeur, and not a little proud of his few hundred feet of elevation 
more than his fellows on either side. One who rides by Greylock on the 
cars through Adams, and takes a good look upon its forest-covered side, 
with the gray frost lingering on the spruces which run up the eastern 
slope almost to the summit, can well agree with the application of the 
name, which many have asked the reason for, as on a clear winter morning 
it fairly glistens in the sunlight. It is cold, forbidding and stern except 
in summer, when its shaded sides invite rest and repose; and its summit, 
even from a distance, inspires one with the belief that Greylock must, 
from the very nature of things, be a most charming and sightly retreat. 
It is strange, however, that so few of the dwellers in Berkshire have 
been to the summit of Greylock and enjoyed for themselves the magnif- 
icent view here spread out on every hand. The narrow valley at its 
base seems cramped by the Saddle Back range on the west and the 
Green Mountains on the east; but when the summit is reached, there 
seems such a sense of relief ; there is more "elbow room," as it were, 
while the eye feasts until weary on new scenes and new beauties ; yet a 
day's sight leaves many, many interesting views yet untouched. It 
would take a week to analyze and digest all of them satisfactorily. 

Greylock Park Association. 

There are three ways of reaching Greylock; one west from the village 
of Adams, bearing a little north, and climbing directly up the sides, 
another through a gortion of Cheshire, and the south part of Adams, fol- 
lowing a wood road for some distance and then leaving teams and 
climbing for about two miles to the summit ; the third was until recently 
by the way of the Notch, in Jforth Adams, then walking the rest of 
the distance, through an easier grade, and yet a longer tramp, to the sum- 
mit, from the northward. All these wei'e hard jaunts, and that probably 
accounts for the fact that so few have ever seen the wonders of the realm 
round about from this lofty height. In 1885, the long-cherished hope of 
a road to the summit of the mountain crystallized into action, and a num- 
ber of gentlemen in Northern Berkshire associated themselves together 
under the title of " The Greylock Park Association," and set about the 
improvement of the mountain summit. A highway was built from 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 1S3 



North Adams in September and October, 1885. When the contemplated 
improvements are finished, Greylock will be a strong rival to other 
mountain-top resorts, and one of the most popular places in Berk- 
shire. 

The Greylock Park Association is composed of several enterprising 
gentlemen, and these officers: President, L. L. Brown; vice-president, W. 
B. Pluukett; clerk, S. Proctor Thayer; treasurer, W. W. Butler; direct- 
ors, TV. L. Brown, A. C. Houghton, James H. Flagg, George B. Perry, 
Austin Bond, A. W. Locke, W. B. Plunkett, J. C. Chalmers, of the Ren- 
frew Manufacturing Company, H. H. Wellington, cashier of the "NTational 
Bank of Adams, Franklin Carter, President of Williams College, and J. 
M. Waterman, and they remain practically the same. An act of the leg- 
islature was granted, authorizing the association to have a capital stock 
of §50,000, and it is authorized to hold 600 acres of land on the mountain. 
Governor Ames contributed $2.50 to the work. The first work of the 
association was in building the road, which has been completed at a cost 
of about $4,000. Later the association built an iron tower upon the 
summit. The tower is simply a frame with a well-protected platform at 
the top, and as the wind cannot secure a '* hold" upon it, it seems safe 
to predict that it will stand for many years. The tower is some fifty feet 
high, and the view to be obtained from its top surpasses description. 
Other improvements made were the building of a double house, and a com- 
modious log barn. The house affords welcome accommodations for vis- 
itors and is open during the summer. These improvements have made 
Greylock even more attractive, and the number of visitors increases 
every year. 

Ascending the Mountain. 

Parties desiring to ascend the mountain find the best facilities at 
North Adams. A message to the livery establishments will engage large 
or small wagons, made for mountain climbing, with safe horses and care- 
ful drivers. The turnout will meet the party at the depot and start at 
once for the summit The rates are very reasonable. 

With North Adams as a starting point, we begin the ascent. We fol- 
low the highway towards Braytonville, on the Williamstown road, a little 
way, and turn to the left and west, on the Notch road, as far as Mr. 
Walden's, where the new road of the association begins, three miles 
from North Adams. This notch road is also intersected by the road from 
Williamstown, as part of the old road to Adams, or the "Shelf road" 
overlooking North Adams. From Mr. Walden's house, the Greylock 



184 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

road passes througli the hitherto unbroken forests, five miles farther, to 
the summit. The grade is easy all the way; there are no steep ascents, 
for the building of the road has been of the most thorough character. 
The association has taken a strip five rods wide all the way through 
the forest, in order that the shade may be maintained, and also that ad- 
joining land owners, who may wish to cut their timber, cannot encroach 
upon the drive. Two miles up the mountain from Walden's, we cross 
Money Brook over a strong bridge. 

The Hopper. 

Near here is the famous Hopper, down into which from the top one 
may look a thousand feet, its sides, steep and rugged, overhung with 
shrubs and trees and vines. The woods at this point in the highway are 
to be cleared away, so that tourists may obtain a view of this great abyss 
to greater advantage. Several slides have occurred on the slopes of the ' 
Hopper, one of them 1,600 feet in length. The most remarkable one of 
all was in 1784, when a dwelling house was swept away, though the in- 
mates escaped. 

Pausing for a Foretaste. 
Near Money Brook is " Wilbur's Clearing," as it is called, and we stop 
for a short time to breathe and to take a look at the view which is begin- 
ning to be a slight foretaste of the summits. It is such a superb scene to 
the north and west! Williamstown and the college are sleeping down in 
the valley, and, away beyond, are the Taconics on the one hand, the 
Green Mountains to the northeast, and we follow the Hoosac as it winds 
through the meadows and the pass towards Pownal, and so on its way 
until it is lost like a thread in the distance. North Adams is seen occa- 
sionally below, and a background for miles is the Hoosac range, to the 
east of the village, and away on to Clarksburg and Stamford. Even this 
view, only part way up the mountain side, is almost sufficient to take the 
breath away, and creates a desii-e to linger on the scene before us. 
Three miles more of easy riding,— eight miles from North Adams, for a 
good horse easily carries two in a buggy all the way with little effort, — 
and, emerging from the woods into an open space, we are at the very 
summit of Greylock. The view bursts upon the vision in all its grandeur 
on a clear day, and we are glad now that we did not linger to merely 
lunch on the more limited view from the "Clearing," three miles below, 
but came at once to partake of the genuine feast offered on the summit 
of this lofty, stern old peak. 



the book of bekkshire. 185 

The "Near View." 

The pen cannot describe the scene; for over 100 miles in all directions, 
the view is laid out before the beholder. Five states can be looked into 
with ease, — Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and 
New York. It is claimed that with a strong glass the shipping in New 
York harbor can be seen with ease. The " near view " down below us en- 
chanted us more at first ; there was an irresistible desire to see from whence, 
and to where, we had come since we left the busy village two hours before, 
and we looked down from a perch, as it were ; for the valley seemed only a 
little way off, and yet so small and insignificant. The Hoosac River was 
flowing like a silver thread in the bright sunlight through the valley, with 
graceful, serpentine curves. We could follow it from its very source now; 
in fact, both sources of the two branches, — one creeping lazily through the 
meadows from Cheshire through Adams, and so along to North Adams ; 
the north branch, from its mountain i^ond in Stamford, rushing and 
tumbling down the hillside and joining its sister stream in North Adams, 
and both tripping along merrily through Williamstown and on to the 
west in its course to the Hudson. 

Like a bird in mid-heaven, we looked down at Adams, now a little, 
diminutive village, as it were, and yet apparently only a little way 
off. To the north of us, in this near view, was Williamstown, — a picture 
of quiet contentment as it sat with the great hills all about it and the 
college buildings the center of the amphitheatre. To the west, we looked 
down into the little hamlet of New Ashford, and then on beyond that to 
the other valley in New York State, apparently only a stone's throw 
away. Southward lay Cheshire village, so near as almost to leave the 
impression for a moment that we could speak to the pigmy of a man we 
saw somewhere near it. Pittsfield, with its lakes and encircling hills 
and mountain tops farther on, was in easy sight, its spires shimmering in 
the sun, and the village lying in the center of a plain, which looked even 
larger than we had imagined. 

This was the "near view" that we instinctively longed to take first. 
Then, as we ascended we looked out in each direction in successive order, 
gradually extending it, as we took in peak after peak and point after point, 
with the ' ' near view ' ' as the beginning, in each point of the compass. The 
mountain tops rolled out before us as the waves of the ocean come, one 
by one, as we allowed the eye to take them in. To the north were num- 
berless points, with villages occasionally, valleys who^e depths we could 
not see, and a clear range of the Green Mountains for at least thirty 
miles, or until the eye could see no longer. 



186 THE nOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

A Far Sweep of Vision. 

But we get tired of looking. That is the trouble of Greylock; and still 
you cannot rest, for the temptation is too strong for " just one more look.'' 
Northwestward, the Adirondacks are plainly seen in their prominent 
points, and from Greylock and one of their summits the surveyors in the 
United States coast survey, a few years ago, signaled each other by flash- 
lights in the process of their work. To the east are Monadnock, in New 
Hampshire, and Wachusett, in plain view, and scores of smaller points, 
while Mounts Tom and Holyoke, in the Connecticut Valley, are appa- 
rently but a little more than neighbors from where we stand. Southward 
the eye takes in the Dome of the Taconics, the southern sentinel of Berk- 
shire, and a fellow guard with Greylock of the two portals of the county. 
The whole space between is literally sprinkled with mountains and hill- 
tops, and with lakelet gems on every hand reflecting them in the sun- 
light. The prettiest view to many minds is that southward covering the 
entire length of the county, and taking in most of the " grand old hills of 
Berkshire." The eye does not stop with the Dome, but wanders farther 
on into Connecticut; and, westward of the southern views, takes in the 
Catskills. The beholder realizes what human weakness is when he longs 
for the words that shall express the volumes of thought and emotions 
that swell his brain and heart. He is filled with delight, with awe, with 
reverence, at the outlook, which inspires him with a grander idea of 
Creation and of God. Here is true sublimity, and its emotion, mingled 
with numerous others, ill defined but powerful, moves the observer to 
the very depths and impresses him with the majesty of Nature. 

VaSTNESS, BEArTY AND SUBLIMITY. 

Of the view from this mountain, Prof. Hitchcock says : "I know of no 
place where the mind is so forcibly impressed by the idea of vastness, and 
even of immensity, as when the eye ranges abroad from this eminence. 
I have rarely, if ever, experienced such a pleasing change from the emo-- 
tion of beauty to that of sublimity, as at this spot. The moment one 
fixes his eye upon the valley of 'Williamstown, he cannot but exclaim, 
* how beautiful ! ' But ere he is aware of it, his eye is following up and 
onward the vast mountain slopes; and, in the far off horizon, he beholds 
intervening i-idge after ridge, peering above one another, until they are 
lost in the distance; and unconsciously he finds his heart swelling with the 
emotions of sublimity; nor can the soul of piety cease its musings here, 
until the tribute of reverence has been paid to that Eternal Power who 
has driven asunder these everlasting mountains." 



the book of bebkshike. 187 

Thokeau Above the Clouds. 

A sunrise view is particularly transporting. The lighting up of this great 
panorama, as on the sunbeams come, to open all this grandeur gradually 
to view, is not only inspiring, but sublime. Of this scene, Thoreau 
breaks forth into the most ravishing descriptions as the sum of all 
his sight-seeing and the fruition of more than his fancy had pictured. " I 
was up early," he writes, " and perched upon the top of the tower to see 
the day break. As the light increased, I discovered around me an ocean 
of mist, which reached u^) by chance exactly to the base of the tower, and 
shut out every vestige of the earth, while I was left floating on this 
fragment of the wreck of a world, — on my carved plank in cloud-laud, 
a situation which it required no aid from the imagination to render im- 
pressive. There was not a crevice left through which the trivial places 
we name — Massachusetts, Vermont and New York — could be seen. All 
around me was spread for a hundred miles, on every side, an undulating 
country of clouds. It was such a country as we might see in dreams, 
with all the delights of Paradise. When the sun began to rise on this 
pure world, I found myself a dweller in the dazzling halls of Aurora, — into 
which poets have had but a partial glance over the Eastern hills, — drift- 
ing among the saffron-colored clouds, and playing with the rosy fingers of 
the Dawn, in the very path of the Sun's chariot, and sprinkled with its 
dewy dust, enjoying the benignant smile, and, near at hand, the far darting 
glances of the god. The inhabitants of Earth behold commonly but the 
dark and shadowy underside of heaven's pavement; it is only when at a 
favorable angle of the horizon, morning and evening, that some faint 
streaks of the rich lining of the clouds are revealed. But my muse 
would fail to convey an impression of the gorgeous tapestry by which I 
was surrounded, such as men see faintly reflected afar off in the chambers 
of the east. Here, as on Earth, I saw the gracious god 

' Flatter the mountain tops with sovereign eye, * * * 
Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy.' " 

When Mr. Thoreau descended the mountain he found himself in the 
region of clouds and drizzling rain, though he had previously had no 
suspicion of rain. 

Gkeylock's Future. 

To make this mountain more of a resort, the Park Association made 
the improvements already described. A year or two since an iron tower 
forty feet high was erected and this affords a beautiful view over the tree- 
tops; so that one may look almost directly into the village of North 



188 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIBE. 

Adams. Mr. L. L. Brown is the new president of the Association and at 
this writing a good many improvements are projected. It is said the 
Fichburg railroad are also contemplating taking an interest in the scheme, 
in order to make it a place of resort for people who naturally come 
over their line. 

The sunrise view is grand beyond description. The valley below is 
ordinarily shrouded in a misty fog, as the sun comes over the eastern hills 
after leaving Monadnock. Gradually as the mist clears away, the hill 
tops come out and resemble great islands in what before had been a vast 
sea. The spires of the churches begin to prick through the mist; then 
the stacks of the factories below. It is a beautiful sight, and one never 
to be forgotten. It is worth rising from one's couch in the cabins on the 
summit to drink in a beauty that words or pen cannot describe. The 
writer, who has spent several nights on the summit to obtain the early 
view, has distinctly heard sounds in the village of Adams, five miles be- 
low in the valley, the whistling to dogs, or the loud shout re-echoed 
against the mountain-side. The sight of the lights, coming out, one by 
one, in the village below in the early evening, is also a novel sensation ; 
reminding one of the coming out of the stars. The memory of a night 
on the summit, in the silence of the great vastness that settles over one, 
leaving the visitor to his own reflections, or possibly a communion with 
the great Creator, is one never to be effaced. 

The project of another road, leading from Pittsfield to Lanesboro, 
thence up an easy grade, direct to the summit of Greylock, received quite 
an impetus last year, and if this is done, southern and central Berkshire 
will find it more convenient to visit the summit than now. A favorite 
plan is to go to Adams by the afternoon train, and make the trip on foot 
by the circuitous foot-path to the summit. This taking the pedestrians 
from Adams, past the Old Quaker Church and the locality of the Quaker 
settlement and the home of Susan B. Anthony. Greylock is worth a visit by 
the tourist, either for a day's entire restfulness, the sunrise view, or the 
impression that strikes him of the immensity of the scene. Water will be 
brought to the summit, and many other improvements made. Already 
about $13,000 have been raised and will be exjiended. In time, cottages 
will be erected, and there is talk that some day in the near future, a road 
from Adams will also be built, so that tourists may make the ascent by 
one drive, and the descent by the other. 

The mountain-side is full of interesting views aud charming, rugged 
bits of scenery. The Hopper is of itself a study, and the Cascade is also 
on this route. The return trip from the mountain summit to the Wilson 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 



189 



House in North Adams, can easily be made in an hour and fifteen 
minutes, though three may well be occupied in the leisurely ascent. 
Such wonderful, sublime and soul-satisfying views are the glory of 
Berkshire, for, as a means of bringing one in contact with the grand- 
eur as well as the repose of nature, Greylock has no equal ; while 
its attractions, enhanced by the art of man, for the accommodation of 
those who seek its retreat, will make it in time the great object of 
visitation in all the " Berkshire Hills." 



^^^"^^^^^^^^^■^n^'* -— 




tte-sK 










XYRIXGHA9I. 

►he sightly location at "Fernside," the pure mountain air and 
water, the good table and the various accommodations of the 
place attract many summer and autumn guests every year. 
The elevation of the eight houses, barns and many outbuildings 
at "Fernside" is 1,160 feet above the ocean; that of the highest point on the 
property, 1,900 feet; the mountain some distance back is 2,200 feet high. 
These mountains are easily accessible. "Fernside" lies on the southern, 
steep slope of the narrow Hop Brook Valley in Tyringham, three miles 
from the railway at South Lee, and but a short distance from the Ty- 
ringham post-office. The scenery from the premises is some of Berk- 
shire's best. Prof. Gildersleeve of Johns Hopkins University, says that 
this is the only place he was ever in where he could walk all day and 
find a new and charming view every five minutes. This may, indeed, be 
true. After enjoying the sights near the buildings, one is ambitious to 
climb the mountain to the southward and westward. A good path has 
been i^repared through bushes and woodland and over pastures, and a 
delightful walk it is to follow its easy ascent. 

The Shakebs. 

As early as 1792 a society of Shakers was organized in Tyringham, 
consisting of nine members at first. They purchased a large tract of 
land and made two settlements — one at " Fernside," and the other half 
a mile west. The community soon numbered 100 and once it contained 
185, and until after the middle of the present century it was very flourish- 
ing; but, in 18.58, 23 of their number ran away at one time, and in 1874 their 
number was so reduced that they sold their property in Tyringham and 
joined the communities at Hancock, Enfield and New Lebanon. 

Mount Horec. 

The summit of the first mountain is bald and is covered with grass; 
there, the prospect is beautiful, magnificent, imposing, charming — 
everything. The place was selected for their "Horeb" by the Shakers 
in 1844. They received the suggestion from Isaiah ii-2: "And it shal] 
come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house 
shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted 




"Fernside," Tyringham. 



192 THE BOOK OF BEBKSHIBE. 



above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it." These places were 
selected under the supposed influence of divine messengers from Heaven. 
Every Shaker society in the land has its Mount. When the Shakers, 
then living at "Fernside," desired to locate their Mount, a dozen or 
more set out one day and stopped where the controlling spirit com- 
manded them to stop, and that place was the mountain we have men- 
tioned. There they cleared a small piece of ground and built a fence 
around it and an inner fence around the spiritual fount, and erected a 
marble monument, with an engraven message on both sides purporting 
to come from God, himself, warning all to keep sacred the grounds and 
never desecrate them. The Shakers held services there for several 
years and finally discontinued them, after which the warning on the 
monument was violated and it was carried away piecemeal for relics. 
The base stone is now left, somewhat mutilated in breaking off 
mementoes. The Shaker burying ground is also on the premises. The 
stones lie flat on the graves after the Moravian fashion. The oldest 

is dated 1793. 

Dr. Jones's "Fernside." 

The Shakers' original building was erected in 1776, but was torn down 
in 1881. An old building, still standing and now used as a shop, is over 
100 years old. The house built next was a brick one, put wp in 1823, as 
indicated by a tablet of marble with the date chiseled in it. The Shakers 
were running out, and they left in 1875, selling the buildings and about 
1,200 acres of land to Dr. Joseph Jones, of Honesdale, Pa., who is the 
present proprietor, looking after the comforts of his guests with unre- 
mitting attention. 

Among his guests have been the following : The Rev. Dr. James Mason 
Knox, Bristol, Pa. ; Mrs. N. P. "Willis, widow of the poet ; Prof. H. D. 
Noyes, John J. Wood, Charles D. Neufville, J. Evarts Tracy, E. Ver- 
milye, all of New York; W. H. Matthews, New Orleans; Prof. Edward 
S. Doubleday, Brooklyn; E. Smith Kelly, Philadelphia; H. J. Hayns- 
worth, Albany; Prof. H. Rowland, of Johns Hopkins University. 

The outlook from the buildings, or from almost any portion of the 
farm, is exceedingly fine. The spires of Lee and Lenox rise far to the 
north, with dreamy blue hills in the distance. Towards the east at your 
feet, (for you are high up on a breezy summit, from which you can look 
complacently down on the morning fogs) lies a broad, fertile plain 
stretching away towards the north as far as Lee. Towards the south- 
east three-quarters of a mile away, and hidden by a round, bald-headed 
hill called the Cobble, the village of Tyrhigham is snugly nestled in the 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 



193 



valley. The air is deliglitfuUy cool and refreshing; in the warmest sea- 
sons and at all times of the day, a breeze is constantly perceptible. 

Fine drives abound on every hand, through Lenox, Stockbridge, Lee, 
and Great Barrington. The road from Monterey shows a magnificent 
view from the top of the mountain. The walks are unlimited all over 
the mountain and valley, exposing ever changing views of the highest 
charms. Mr. L. B. Moore a few years ago converted his cozy farm house 
into a summer home naming it " Riverside," and the past season he has 
had to enlarge and beautify and improve it. He has a delightful location 
on the main road through the village. Several New York families come 
to Rivei'side for a whole summer's rest and recreation. Here are other 
houses in the village, where boarders are taken in the summer, amid 
surroundings of no common order. Stage leaves Tyringham 3:45 p. m.; 
Lee, 2:30 p. m. 




NE^W MARI^BORO. 

SECLUDED, quiet and healthful, New Marlboro village is situated 
at an elevation of 1,470 feet above the sea. The whole North 
Parish, as this village and its neighborhood are sometimes called, 
is an elevated plateau of more than a thousand acres, with rims 
of higher hills around portions of the northern and eastern 
horizon, while off to the south and southwest and northwest are miles 
of hill and valley, woodland and meadow, with mountains rising one 
above another in the distance, all together forming one of the grandest 
panoramas that even Southern Berkshire can boast. To the southeast, 
as one looks from near the South Berkshire House, is the pretty little 
village of Southiield, perched on a mountain terrace and half shut in by 
wooded hill. 

The village people have begun to give portions of their houses to sum- 
mer guests, but the principal accommodations are given at the South 
Berkshire House with accommodations for about 150 people. This vil- 
lage was first made a summer resort by I. N. Tuttle in 1878 and he since 
obtained possession of the South Berkshire Institute buildings, after the 
school was abandoned. The boarders at this house find a phase of the 
best country life, and they value it particularly for their children, who 
have a large area of clean ground to play upon, where their noise is not 
annoying. The boarders pass time in many agreeable ways suitable to 
their surroundings, in outdoor life, in games, dancing, theatricals, etc. 
The music rooms of the Institute open into each other en suite, afford 
ample rOom for indoor entertainment, and the school-room has been 
provided with a permanent stage, curtain, etc., for amateur theatricals. 
Picnics and drives around the wild and picturesque country are had 
frequently, and fishing and hunting receive the attention of their devo- 
tees. Four sets of lawn tennis are provided for the guests and there is 
room for all of them at once in the village park, as well as room for two 
sets on the Institute grounds. Wells & Jeuks are the proprietors. 

In 1881 Marvin Chapin, proprietor of the Massasoit House in Spring- 
field, was driving over the hills in Southern Berkshire and stopped at 
Mr. Tuttle's with the intention of staying only one night and then re- 
suming his journey. He was so pleased with the place that he remained 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 195 



eight days and came again next year with his family and stayed several 
weeks. Setli H. Moseley, proprietor of the New Haven House in New 
Haven, Ct., came along in a precisely similar way, — discovered the house 
by accident, as it were, tarried a few days and came again the next year. 
The proprietors of these famous hotels have stayed at Mr. Tattle's many 
summers. A large number of its guests have come year after year ; 
among them are the following : John L. Drummond, C. E. Mallor, R. 
Major, Mrs. M. A. "White, H. Carter, all of New York; H. B. Vander- 
vere, Aug. Colson, Chris. Joost, all of Brooklyn; Frank A. Monson, 
New Haven, Conn. ; F. W. Keith, D. H. Clark, both of Stamford, Conn. ; 
Judge Turner, New London, Conn. 

Natural Objects of Interest. 

The exceedingly interesting drives around New Marlboro are nu- 
merous. Lake Buel, situated partly in the northwestern corner of the 
town 3^ to 5 miles distant, according to whether one goes to Gibson's or 
Turner's, is a delightful lake, a mile and a half long, where the accom- 
modations are ample for every purpose. 

Lake Garfield in Monterey, a little larger than Lake Buel, is 5 miles 
distant, and there visitors are well provided for. 

The Otis Reservoir, the largest natural lake in the county, is 11 miles 
away, and a lovely lake it is, too. 

The Cat Hole in the southwestern part of the town, about three miles 
northeast of Clayton, is a natural cave of several chambers. The de- 
scent is rather difficult, and few persons but boys would care to go 
into it in the present condition of its entrance. 

Campbell's Falls. 

In the south part of the town on the state line, about three miles east 
of Clayton, are Campbell's Falls, where the Whiting River pours about 
80 feet down rocks, in an almost perpendicular fall. Above the falls are 
numerous cascades where the stream flows through a dark, wild ravine, 
and below is a gorge walled in by steep, wooded and rocky mountain 
sides, seven or eight hundred feet high. The falls are the resort of many 
picnic parties. A saw mill used to be on the rocks above the falls and 
from its carriage, which was made to slide out over the abyss, a little 
girl once fell to the bottom, a distance of about 95 feet, but she survived 
and lived to be over 90 years old. 

In the Umpachene Falls, where the Umpachene stream joins the Kon- 
kapot, a little below Mill River on the road to Clayton, the water de- 




"Gibson's Landing," Lake Buel. 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIKE. I97 



scends over quartz rock by two leaps, to a depth of about 30 feet, the 
upper cataract being about 10 feet. Though there is nothing striking 
about these falls, they are an interesting natural object. 

Eastward of New Marlboro in Sandisfield and Otis is a sparsely settled 
country where the Green Mountains are divided by deep gorges and 
wild streams, and covered with forests. 

Tipping Rock. 

Tipping Rock, two miles off, a httle below Southfleld village, is a 
great curiosity. A huge boulder, weighing 41) tons was left here by the 
retreating glacier of the ice age, on the bed rock on the summit of a low 
hill, where the stranger has ever since abided, so well balanced that the 
strength of one finger can rock the huge mass, yet many oxen could not 
overturn it. There are but few of these boulders in the world. 

Favorite excursions outside of the town are to Stockbridge, Lenox, 
Great Barrington, Monument Mountain, Bashbish and the Dome. 

The autumn foliage in New Marlboro is gorgeous, as may be under- 
stood from the following description by a resident: " The grand pano- 
rama is now spread before us in all its magic beauty; north, south, east 
and west it is the same wonderful, flaming, shading, rioting of color; 
every maple blazing at top with tint of scarlet or orange, every ash tree 
turned from green to straw color, every birch tree shimmering and 
quivering in the sun, as if golden beads were strung upon its branches; 
sumachs turned into ladders of fire; poplars marked and spotted with 
vermilion ; not a single tree left of solid green, except the pines, firs and 
hemlocks, which look darker and greener than ever by contrast with the 
masses of flashing color." 

In an old brass foundry blacksmith shop, that was situated on the 
eastern edge of the village on the stream, Elihu Burritt worked over an 
anvil two or thrcje years about 1833. 

New Marlboro is reached from Great Barrington, 9 miles distant, every 
day except Sunday by a stage that leaves at 1 :30 p. m. Stage leaves 
New Marlboro at 7:30 a. m. 

Mill River. 
Mill River is a village lying three miles to the southwest in a narrow 
valley through which the Konkapot flows, 8 miles from Great Barrington, 
from which place a daily stage leaves at 1 :30, except on Sundays. A 
few summer boarders are kept in this village at the hotel and at 
private houses. 



198 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



Clayton. 
Clayton, in the southwest corner of the town, is 2i miles from the 
Ashley Falls station of the Housatonic railroad, and is a place that city 
people would find delightful for summer residence. Here are the China 
Clay Works, where a high quality of clay was for many years mined 
and prepared for the use of paper makers in giving paper a finish, for 
making fine crockery, vulcanizing rubber, making "pure lead" paints, 
soap, face powder, fire bricks, lead pencils, crayons, and for kalsomin- 
ing. Mr. Taft's "Elm Brook Farm," is a fine one of 600 acres, 400 of 
which are cultivated and produce a great quantity of crops. It is one of 
the model Berkshire farms, with beautiful home buildings, which are 
charmingly situated on the banks of the Konkapot Elver. 





EE is a very small name for a beautiful, and what Yankees 
call a smart town. Franklin Cbamberlin, the Centennial orator 
of Lee, who has had abundant opportunities for studying the 
scenery and institutions of both the old and new world, thus 
compliments this town: " Nestling among the foot hills of 
these mountain ranges, midway between old Greylock on the north and 
Mount Washington on the south, and divided by the swiftly flowing 
Housatonic (a river beautiful in name and in all its bed and border, 
from its source in lake and mountain spring, down among its wooded 
hills and pleasant valleys to its outlet in the sound), Lee has enough of 
beauty to satisfy the desires of its children, while they remain at home, 
and to be a pleasant memory when they are away." 

Many portions of I^e are exceedingly beautiful ; indeed, the whole 
western jjart is the same as the Stockbridge and Lenox region in char- 
acter. Into this territory the country home purchasers will come in 
time when they are crowded from making purchases in the neighboring 
towns. The people of Lee have never encouraged the coming of city 
people to stay here for the season and the boai'ding houses in town ai-e 
few though they are placed where very good entertainment is given. The 
Morgan House, in the center of the town, is under good management, and 
the accommodations are good for transient guests. A few natives or old- 
time residents of the town come back annually for a summer's sojourn, 
or casually to mingle again with old-time pleasant associations, and to 
keep unbroken old-time friendship or to renew old acquaintanceship. 
Aside from these and a few summer boarders, the comers to Lee are from 
neighboring towns, bent on enjoying the many attractions the town has. 

Fekn Cliff. 

On the east of the village of Lee and in close proximity to it rises the 
rocky eminence called Fern Cliff, the summit of which is crowned with 
a beautiful grove of hemlocks. This is the trystiug place of the vil- 
lagers, and no spot could be more charming for picnics, and walks and 
talks by daylight, or moonlight. This cliff extends about a third of a 
mile parallel with the village, and pleasant, shady walks, commanding 



200 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIBE. 

delightful and ever varying views, traverse the whole distance. At the 
north end stands a large boulder of gneiss, called Union Kock, probably 
from the union of so many hearts consummated on this favorite resort of 
young lovers. On its broad back a dozen couples can stand at once and 
trace the windings of the Housatonic at its base and through the dis- 
tant meadows, and satisfy their eyes with the cultivated farms to be seen 
at the north and west, while the grand hills of Beartown stand out 
prominently in the south. The Kev. Dr. Barnas Sears, for many years 
president of Brown University and accustomed to Berkshire scenery, 
having been born m Sandisfield, once visited Fern Cliff, and was so 
charmed with its walks, trees, and views, that he said, " If I am ever 
able to i-etire from public life, I should like to build a cottage and spend 
the evening of my days on this delightful eminence." This clift' is 200 
feet above the village and on one side is a small cave. 

A half hour's walk to the top of East Mountain (one can drive very 
near) shows a fine view of the Catskills and a good deal of Berkshire 
territory. The drive over Washington Mountain shows a magnificent 
view of Pittsfield and the surrounding country, far and near, with the il- 
lusion of bringing Greylock to within half its real distance; drive via 
Lenox Furnace, Ashley Lake, and return via Xew Lenox. Another de- 
lightful drive is to come from Monterey over the road to " Fernside," to 
get views of wonderful effect from the summit of the mountain. The 
drives to Lenox, to "Fernside," to South Lee over the Merrill Hill, to 
Beartown, to Lake May, to Lake Mahkeenac, and Bald Head Mountain, 
are so full of changing beauty that they never tire though repeated a 

hundred times. 

Laurel Lake. 

One of the most charming features in the scenery of Lee is Laurel 
Lake, a beautiful sheet of water, covering some six hundred acres, and 
situated in the northwest part of the town. The outline of this lake- 
let is marked by bays and capes, and one bold, rocky promontory ; and 
its shores, here and there beautified with groves of pine, hemlock and 
maple, are remarkably free from swamps. The land rises in gentle 
slopes from the water, furnishing beautiful sites for country seats, 
which have been generally appreciated and purchased. At the east of 
Laurel Lake rises a graceful eminence on which Arthur Gilman, of 
Cambi'idge, built an attractive cottage and laid out pleasant grounds, 
all since sold by him. 

In South Lee, just below the dam of the Hurlbut Paper Company, one 
may see hundreds of " pot holes " in the bed rock of the river, so plenty 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIBE. 2UI 



here tnat no one notices them, though such holes are great curiosities in 
other regions. A rock in the meadow on the east side of the river, a 
very short distance north of the South Lee railway station, observed 
from the railway, looks like an elephant lying down. 

The quarries in Lee have furnished marble for a large part of St. 
Patrick's cathedral in New York, the Philadelphia Trust and Safe De- 
posit building, the new City Hall in Philadelphia, and in that city the 
Farmers' and Mechanics' bank, the enlargement of Girard college ; the 
two wings of the Capitol at Washington, part of Washington Monument, 
and for the soldiers' head-stones in the national cemeteries. The marble 
for the extension of tiie State house at Boston, is quarried here. 

Lee is famous all over the country for its paper manufacture. Here 
paper was first made in 1800 in South Lee village. In less than 50 years 
the town made more paper in quantity and value than any other town in 
the United States, and only three cities are now ahead of it in the value 
of their paper. The Smith Paper Company is one of the principle ones 
of the country, and makes 160 tons a week of news, book and manilla. 
besides many tons of wood pulp. This was the first company in the 
United States to make paper partly of wood pulp and get an established 
sale for it. Wellington Smith, the manager of the business, has been Exe- 
cutive Councilor, member of the national republican convention of 18S0, 
and president of the American Paper Manufacturers' Association. The 
famous " French Linen " paper is made by the Hurlbut Paper Company 
in South Lee, a paper that carried the highest honors at the international 
competition at Paris in 1873 and at Philadelphia in 1876. 

A sadly memorable day in East Lee was April 20, 1886, when the dam 
of Mud Pond, in the mountain, near Becket, gave way. 

The water descended four miles to the Housatonic River, two miles of 
the distance being through the village, confined in the narrow valley. 
Every building bordering the stream was wrecked, several dams and 
bulkheads demolished, seven lives were lost and damage was done 
amounting to a quarter of a million. The scene of devastation was 
fearful, 

HOESES. 

The horse breeding farm of the late Elizur Smith at " Highlawn Farm " 
on the south side of Laurel Lake, is one of the notable ones of the 
United States, whose fame has gone far and wide. The farm itself con- 
sists of 700 acres of highly cultivated land situated in a very sightly lo- 
cation, and of several hundred acres of leased land. It is drained by .37 
miles of tile, has all kinds of machines and steam engine for opei'ating 



202 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



them, has eight separate sets of large barns, and six wind mills that 
pump water through five miles of pipe. The stud was established in 
1882 and soon grew to large proportions; it now consists of the stallions 
"Alcantara" and "Alcyone," each a $20,000 horse, "Montezuma," a 
beautiful $4,000 stallion, about 50 mares and more or less colts, making 
about 100 animals in all, worth $1.50,000 or more, besides the 700 acres of 
land, which may be worth $200 to $500 an acre, according to the notion 
of the purchaser. Farm and all, there is probably no other so costly a 
horse breeding estabUshment in the United States. Those who visit the 
farm on business are entertained at a private hotel on the premises, 
where the surroundings are decidedly agreeable. Visitors and purchas- 
ers come from all over the eastern part of the United States, as far south 
as Washington and as far west as Kentucky. 

One of the notable collections of orchids in the United States, was for 
many years, that of De Witt Smith, in Lee, whose greenhouses were vis- 
ited by many in winter, when orchids are at their best. These orchids 
came from New Grenada, Brazil, the Andes, Gautemala, Oaxaca, Mexico, 
Assam, Burmah, Rangoon, Java, Manilla and other of the Phillipine 
islands, Japan, Madagascar, United States of Colombia, Costa Rica, the 
Rio Negro Choco, Bogota, La Guayra, Nepaul, Mount Ophir, Chiriqui, 
Borneo, Sylhet, Moulmein, Australia, the Himalayas, Guaina, Peru, 
Guayaquil, Organ mountains, Arracan mountains, Trinidad, Panama, 
Khoosea hills, Island of Pulo-Copang in the Chinese sea, the Malay 
islands, and parts of India, Africa, the East Indies, South America, Mex- 
ico, Central America, the West Indies, and the far East, not mentioned 
The collection has recently been sold to a New York party, much to the 
regret of Berkshire people. 



SAI^DISFIBLD. 

FEW towns in Berkshire abound more in the wild scenery, romantic 
drives, and delightful look-ofts from its elevations than Sandistield. 
At New Boston there is a good hotel, kept by JMr. C. H. Hunt, where sum- 
mer guests occasionally pass a few weeks. Of late there has been some in- 
quiry for '• abandoned farms" for summer homes, and it is probable that 
within a few years many of these quiet places will be occupied in that 
manner. The drive from New Boston to Otis, some ten miles, along the 
west bank of the Farm'ugton river, is pronounced by a gentleman who 
has made the whole tour of Berkshire, either in driving, bicycling, or on 
foot, as the most romantic and entertaining of any in the county. 

This location in the summer is a desirable one for any one seeking re- 
tirement and quiet, and one of the most healthful localities in the coun- 
try. The elevated situation commands an expansive view of the sur- 
rounding country, at once romantic and attractive. A lover of line 
scenery, embracing a wide stretch of country, would at once be attracted 
to this location, and the bracing atmosphere and salubrious water are 
conducive to health and enjoyment. Distance from Great Barrington or 
Winsted, Conn., l'> miles. Stage leaves Winsted 1.00 p. m. and Westfield 
at 1.30 p. M., and leaves Sandistield for those towns early in the morning. 
Not so richly endowed with lake scenery as Monterey and Otis, Sandis- 
field possesses a full share of the hill and valley prospects, which are the 
common heritage of the county. There are no summer hotels, strictly 
speaking, but many of the farmers' families receive guests for the sea- 
son, and those who find them out get their money's worth in health as 
well as pleasure. 

OXI§. 

THE region included in the towns of Monterey, Otis, and Sandisfield is 
a broad upland tract, agreeably broken with hill and mountain sum- 
mits, 1,.500 to 1,800 feet above tide. The people, so far as the " old stock " 
at least goes, are plain, warm-hearted country folk, hospitable and intel- 
ligent, always ready to enjoy the society of strangers who come for a sea- 
so]i of rest and wholesome rural pleasure, and to help in making their 
stay pleasant. But city people have not yet actually appropriated the 
region, as they have some other places, so that those who do resort there 
are sure of country life in the true, old-fashioned sense of the word. 

Otis, sloping down to the valley of the Farmingtou, has always been 
noted for the number and beauty of its so-called " ponds" Those who 
never care how far removed they may be from railway facilities, find 



204 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



them a never failing delight. The largest, lying off in the lonely wooded 
basin near East Otis, Eand Pond or the Reservoir, as it is called, is known 
through all Berkshire and northwestern Connecticut, as an unrivaled 
fishing place. It looks much like an Adirondack lake, so wild are the 
surroundings. The water, after issuing from this lake, has a rapid de- 
scent over precipitous ledgjs of rocks, forming what are known as Otis 
Falls. When viewed from an advantageous point, in this romantic and 
weird ravine, the scene is grand and sublime. In the southerly part of 
Rand Pond is a floating island of considerable extent. It is composed of 
debris and the tangled and matted roots of shrubbery, and when one 
walks over it a quaking motion is imparted to it, extending some distance 
on either side. Thirteen lakes, great and small, are situated in this town. 
Eand Pond is the largest body of water in the county, and Great Lake, a 
mile from it, is next in size. The drive from Lee to Otis is a delightfu) 
one, and abounds in many pretty views, while the stage road is well kep\ 
and of easy grade. Within the past year or two, a number of gentlemen 
from Lee have leased a pretty sheet of water called "Shaw Pond," about 
eight miles from Lee and on the direct road between there and Otis, have 
built a pavilion, cleared up the shrubbery and thus made it a delightful 
camping ground, and also, by the cottages put up, a fine place for an ex- 
tended stay for themselves and families. 

There are many pretty drives between Otis village and Sandisfield or 
down the river, through Xew Boston to Colebrook and Winsted. Otis has 
for years been the resort of sportsmen and people fond of camp life. Its 
reputation stands high among such people in Springfield, and it is their 
habit to visit the town every season. Several residents of the town take 
summer boarders, who nay be sure of good entertainment. 



ALFORD. 

THE quiet village of Alford is beginning to attract summer visitors who 
become attached to the place, for its rustic peculiarities, its native 
beauties and wild belongings. The drives are fine to Egremout, Great 
Barrington, Green Kiver, White's Hill, State Line, and West Stockbridge, 
and there is no end of walks in all directions, and of all varieties. Tom 
Ball Mountain on the east is of high elevation and commands a varied 
and extensive outlook. A few rods back of Mr. Fitch's quarry is the Fry- 
ing Pan Spring, a place where water, falling in a cavity in the ground, 
makes the peculiar sound of a large frying-pan over a hot fire. One muit 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIKE. 205 

not fail to visit Crowned Head, so named by Mrs A. D. T. Whitney, so 
truthfully described by her in her book, " Odd or Even," vrritten in this 
town: " We climbed the steep sides and reached the summit, to view one 
of the grandest landscapes ever spread out for human eyes to feast upon. 
The mountains stand around like huge sentinels to guard the little 
hamlets scattered up and down the valley. We see the Hudson River, like 
a golden thread, while above and beyond the grand old Catskills pile up 
like mighty snow drifts, lost in the blue of heaven." Stage leaves Great 
Barrington at 3 p. m., leaves Alford at 11 A. m. 



TVESX SXOCKBRIDGB. 



WEST STOCKBRIDGE has many attractive features, and the town is 
romantically situated for the summer residences of city people. 
Fi'om this town there is a wild drive over the mountain to Stockbridge. 
West Stockbridge Center is the " old parish " of the town, and while of 
easy access, is probably the most perfectly secluded village in south Berk- 
shire. Its views are very fine, with the Dome to crown all, off on the south- 
western horizon. Here has been for over a generation the home of the Eev. 
Lewis Pennell, whose life-long devotion to Hebrew studies has earned for 
him among his brethren of the cloth, the title of Rabbi. The quarries of 
the town have furnished marble for many buildings in cities, among them 
being the old City Hall in New York, part of Girard College, and of the 
State House at Boston. There is a small natural cavern in the southern 
part of the town. 

The mountain called Tom Ball, situated in this town, though it is 
equally accessible from Alford, affords one of the most charming out- 
looks to be found in Berkshire from mountain summits. The ascent is 
not very easy, because of tangled forest, clifts and general steepness, but, 
when once accomplished, the views on every side are intensely effective. 
The range of vision is wide, both in points of compass and in distance. 
This mountain is one of those picturesque elevations so common in Berk- 
shire, rising abruptly from the adjacent valleys, without foot hills to 
dwarf them. Tom Ball, like many other summits in the county, is 
neither of the Taconics nor the Green Mountains, but stands in proud 
independence, apart from the main mountain ranges. 



BECKHT. 

THE general elevation of this town is about 1,200 feet, its breezes are de- 
lightfully cool and invigorating and there is no malaria. The scen- 
ery is wild and romantic in places. Boulders of almost every kind abound, 
and in this town we are truly among the '* Granite Hills," for this stone is 
prevalent and there are some fine quarries of it in this part of the range. 
It is indeed one of the summit towns of the county. North Becket, the 
principal place of business, is a thrifty and clean little village of 500 
people, lying along the branch of the river; Becket Center is farther to 
the south, delightfully situated; and West Becket is near the town line 
of Lee and Tyringham, on the south end. The mountain scenery is varied 
and grand in different parts of the town. Becket Mountain, in the 
northwest i)art is only two and one-half miles from the Clafiin House at 
North Becket, and is 2,194 feet high; it is easy of access, and almost at its 
feet is the Bulkley, Duntou & Co. 's reservoir. Wadsworth Mountain is 
three miles south of North Becket, about 2,000 feet high, and from its 
summit the steeples of seven churches can be counted. 

In the vicinity of the village (North Becket) are Yokun Lake, so 
named from the Indian chief who lived near there, and Center Lake, both 
of which are attractive sheets of water. There are many others, in 
different parts of the town, but the two first named, and Greenwater 
Pond, are easy of access. 

The Claflin House, owned and kept by W. A. Schlesiuger, is an excel- 
lent and popular resort, accommodating 50 guests. His guests are mainly 
families who come from New York, Brooklyn, New Jersey, St. Louis, 
Hartford, St. Paul, New Orleans, Washington, and even Louisiana. Some 
of the towns-people take boarders at their farm houses. 

The former residents of the town, who have gone away and become 
wealthy, remember it with pleasure and within a few years a fine library 
building, called the " Athenaeum," has been built by the donations of 
the town's loyal sons who have been blessed with means in other places. 
Many of the farmers of the town accommodate summer guests. The 
drives in all directions, either to Lee, Lenox, Pittsfield, or across the 
country to the higher lands of Peru and Chesterfield, are fine. 



n 
> 
r 



o 

in 




MONTEREY has drawn to its boarding houses of late years a goodly 
number of summer guests — houses environed by the majesty 
of beauty afforded by extensive vistas of glorious scenery of vale and 
mount. It is charmingly attractive as a peaceful spot wherein to while 
away a summer vacation. 

Monterey boasts one of the most beautiful of Berkshire's lakes, Lake 
Garfield, a mile from the village, which from its absolute seclusion and 
the wildness of the surroundings is a favorite "camping out" place of 
South Berkshire. It is a mile and a half in length by three-quarters of a 
mile broad, of irregular outline and shut in around much of the shore 
line by picturesque groves, admirable for camping purposes. At the 
northern end is a natural curiosity that has attracted much attention; a 
floating island, two hundred or more feet long, that rises and falls reg- 
ularly with the water. Formerly it "hung around" the south end, now 
and then floating from one side to the other; but a few years ago, when 
the banks were very full and a smart gale blowing, if drifted up the lake 
to its present moorings on a sand bank where it seems likely to stay for 
some time. Near the lower end of the lake is the home of Mr. M. S. 
Bidwell, where a number of summer guests are entertained. Mr. Bid- 
well is one of the Trustees of the Hampton Institute, and through his 
instrumentality a number of the Indian students, boys and girls, find 
summer homes among the farmers of Southern Berkshire. 

Two miles south of the village is the romantic glen known as Hyde's 
Falls, through which a brook descends in a series of beautiful cascades 
for a mile. This is the favorite picnic ground of the entire vicinage. 

The drives around Monterey and the neighboring towns are numerous. 
Lake Buel, 4 miles distant, situated partly in the town in the southwest 
corner, is a favorite object of a day's or half a day's excursion. Ice Gulf 
is near by. The drive to " Fernside " exposes a memorable view from 
the top of the mountain. Stockbridge, Lenox and Great Barrington 
make drives that are frequently taken. 



RICHMOND. 

RICHMOND is a quiet farming region, excepting in the southwest 
corner, where are the extensive iron mines and furnace of the Rich- 
mond Iron Company. In this town was reared Henry W. Dwight, the 
manager of the American Express Company, and Judge Dwight of Au- 
burn. Among eminent natives were Judge Henry W. Bishop, a leading 
member of the Berkshire bar after his removal to Lenox; President 
Rowley of Du Pauw College ; the late George Perry, once one of the edit- 
ors of the New York Home Journal ; Susan Teall Perry, of much literary 
fame, and several Congressmen. The house of the late Miss Catherine 
Pierson, near the Congregational church, was built by her father in 1790, 
and she has preserved it since, making it one of the most comfortable 
country homes in the county. 

Perry's Peak. 

In the northwest corner is Perry's Peak, 2,089 feet high, from which 
one of the finest views in all Berkshire can be obtained. The valleys 
below open a scene of rare panoramic beauty. The Catskills on a clear 
day can be distinctly seen, and the craft sailing on the Hudson river; while 
on the west at one's feet is Queechy Lake in Canaan, the Shakers in 
that town, and the lovely valley of Lebanon for many miles north on the 
western slope. The Lebanon Shakers' settlement and the Columbia Hall 
farther north are nestled below, apparently only a short distance away, 
To the east is the Lenox range; north is Pittsfield and the entire valley 
in which it lies, Greylock farther beyond, and south the hills in West 
Stockbridge and Alford, a continuation of the Taconics. The summit of 
Perry's Peak is bare of trees and almost of soil, and the ascent is easily 
made in a wagon either from Richmond or the western valley from Leb- 
anon. In summer it is a favorite resort, and in the autumn, when the 
foliage is turning, the view is bewitching. Some who have seen the view 
from this peak pronounce it to be much finer than from the famous Rich- 
mond Hill in England. 

In Richmond is a queer geological curiosity in the celebrated " Boulder 
Trains," which continue through the town of Lenox and into Lee, 
though not so marked as in Richmond. The famous Balanced Rock is of 
this family. Many eminent geologists have examined them — Sir Charles 
Lyell among others — and they have always excited wonder and interest. 
They were first discovered as such, and their presence given to the 



210 THE BOOK OF BEEKSHIKE. 

world by Dr. Stephen Reed, a native of the town. They are simply 
huge boulders, either wholly or in part on the surface, strung along the 
ground, but with an interesting geological history. 

There are numerous fine drives in the town, especially in the east- 
ern part, along the base of Osceola and the Lenox Mountains, to 
Pittsfield. Near the church is " The Kenmore," which is now occupied 
in summer by a N'ew York scientific school, whose members find ample 
range for study in nature all about them. Several of the town's people 
•entertain visitors in the summer. 

'Queechy Lake, over the state line, in Canaan, is a lovely sheet of water 
•and only a short drive from Richmond. The Canaan Shakers, a branch 
of the New Lebanon family, are also near the lake. It is a fascinating 
drive to leave Pittsfield, go through Richmond, swing around the base of 
the spur in the gap at this point to Queechy Lake, thence up the valley 
by the Canaan Shakers to New Lebanon and the Mount Lebanon Shakers, 
back over the Tacouics, in sight of Perry's Peak and the other hills 
in that part of Hancock, through the settlement of the Pittsfield and 
Hancock Shakers to the village of Pittsfield again. The iron mines and 
furnace in the south part of the town are interesting places to visit. 



HAT^COCK. 

THE town of Hancock is a strip of land one-third the width of the 
State on its western border and two miles wide. There is no village 
in Berkshire so peculiarly situated as Hancock, with the Taconics to the 
east, towei'ing above it, and beyond them to the west the valley and the 
farms over the line into New York. . The first settlers called the place 
Jei'icho, but it finally took its name from John Hancock. Asa Douglas, 
from whom Stephen A. Douglas descended, was among the first settlers 
and Charles Shumway occupies the site of the old homestead. The 
Hands were another of the old families. The elder Samuel, after a great 
many reverses, at last became wealthy and died in New Lebanon, so the 
historian tells us, and left his wealth in Spanish milled dollars in iron 
pots in his cellar, and his heirs, in distributing it, some of them drew 
their shares to Hancock in wagon loads. Martin I. Townsend of Troy, 
N. Y., one of the most noted lawyers and politicians, is a native of Han- 
cock. The house of Kirk E. Gardiner was the first hotel in the town, 
and the old clock, the first one in Hancock, built into the wall of the 
house, is still doing duty as a time-piece and is a great curiosity. 
Richard Jackson, who was taken as a tory on his way to the battle of 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIBE. 211 

Bennington, sent to Great Barrington jail, and who afterwards went to 
Springfield, where he was convicted of treason, was of Hancock. He 
was the soul of honor, and walked the entire distance unattended and 
delivered himself up. His singular conduct finally procured his pardon. 

Potter Mountain. 

The drives in the town are charmingly magnificent. The road over 
Potter Mountain from Pittsfield, passing up through the west part of the 
town of Lanesboro commands one of the most entrancing landscapes in 
Berkshire. The road winds up the mountain from a few miles north- 
west of Pittsfield, making an easy ascent, and when the summit is 
reached, to the east is a rai'e panorama. Pontoosuc and Onota Lakes 
are at your feet. Pittsfield is just beyond, and presents a lovely pictux'e, 
while farther to the south the eye wanders down the Housatonic Valley, 
or to the east further to the range east of Pittsfield and on to the Wash- 
ington Hills. To the east is Lanesboro, and the prominent points in 
that town. Northward is the old familiar outline of Greylock and its 
fellows. Turning to the west, the village of Hancock is seen sequestered 
and snug in the valley, while the fertile farms and the lovely valley be- 
yond, over in the other State, are taken in at a glance. From no other 
drive in Berkshire can so much be taken in at a glance as on the summit 
of the Potter Mountain road. A favorite drive from Pittsfield is over 
Potter Mountain to Hancock, then north to South Williamstown, and 
then back through New Ashford and Lanesboro to Pittsfield. The Ber- 
lin Mountain Range is on the west of the valley between Hancock and 
Williamstown, and is a charming region. 

In Hancock, on the summit of the Taconics, off the highway, is Berry 
Pond, on whose outlet is the Lulu Cascade, a pretty waterfall much visited. 
On this summit, seen from Pittsfield, is the Shaker Promised Land, the 
Tower Mountain, and many other interesting points, from whose sum- 
mits excellent views of the surrounding landscape are seen. South of 
the Lebanon highway, is the Shakers' Holy Ground, where their spiritual 
feasts were once held. 

The town is quiet, peaceful and healthful. Its pi-incipal attractions 
are such as God has given it in its natural beauty. It is not a resort to 
any extent, and the homes are of the architecture of other times. The 
farms are well kept and the farm houses cozy and tasteful. Its drives 
are among the most romantic and singular in the county, and Pittsfield 
and New Lebanon utilize the mountain summits and the valleys for 
this purpose. Stages leave Hancock 5 p. m. ; Pittsfield, 3 p. m. 



I^AKESBORO. 




DJOINING Pittsfield on the north, Laues- 
boro is the northern town of the Housa- 
tonic Yalley. Its scenery and attractions, 
as in every other Berkshire town, are 
peculiarly its own. With wooded heights, 
fiuitful hillsides, blossoming valleys and 
picturesque scenery at every turn, it is 
an interesting place. It is quiet, seques- 
tered and peaceful, and has no large vil- 
lages. Pontoosuc Lake is partly in this 
to svn and partly in Pittsfield, and with its 
pietty groves, pavilions, sail and steam- 
boats, has become a very popular resort 
for pleasure parties. The horse railroad 
fiom the railroad station at Pittsfield to 
the lake, adds much interest to its natural attractions. Standing near it 
one looks northward toward a most beautiful prospect. It is a lovely 
road and drive from Pittsfield to Lanesboro. The town commemorated 
Centennial year by planting on each side of the main highway a row of 
maples the entire length of its Main street. 

The Look-off Summits. 

There are several summits and prominent points in the town, among 
them Fairview, Savage Mountai'i, Farnam Hill, Constitution Hill, and 
The Knobbitt, all in the vicinity of the Main street; while in the eastern 
part, near Berkshire \'illage, the location of the famous Berkshire Glass 
Works, are Crystal Hill, so named for the fine quality of glass sand found 
there, and a rugged point called Briggs' Cobble. 

Constitution Hill, west of the village affords a fine outlook, of which 
J. E. A. Smith, in his "Taconic," thus writes: "Lying under its druid- 
ical oaks, or seated farther up, upon a pearl white quartz rock, in the 
shade of a whispering birch, you will see below you, groves and farms, 
and broad fresh meadows, with laughing lake and winding rivulet." 
The autumn "leaves here seem to have a perfection of beauty not at- 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 213 

tained elsewhere ; you shall not desire to see a more gorgeous sight than 
Constitution Hill in October." On the western declivity there is a small 
cavern. From the piazza of the Royce homestead a view south is ob- 
tained, sweeping away down beyond Pittsfleld and taking in the Housa- 
tonic Valley for many miles. 

The iron funiace of the Lanesboro Iron Company, in the village, is an 
object of curiosity when in blast. The ore, taken from the beds in the 
west part of the town, also worth a visit, is among the finest for the manu- 
facture of car wheels. In the stone school-house, at the north end of 
the main street, Arthur Gilman and Horace E. Scudder had a literary 
workshop, a few years ago, and here the Bodley Books, the works on 
Chaucer, and some other books were penned. The hills on both sides of 
the valley are easy of access, and some lovely views ai-e obtained from 
them. 

Balanced Rock. 
A great curiosity is the famous Balanced Rock in the southwest part 
of the town. It is located on the farm of Grove E. Hurlburt, and is 
a few rods distant from the highway, an easy drive through the field 
being the route thereto. It is a huge, irregular mass of massive marble, 
gi'own gray by age and exposure, .30 feet long and 15 wide, poised on an- 
other rock three feet from the ground, and so evenly balanced that at 
first glance it seems as though it could easily be pushed from the smaller 
stone— a feat often attempted. There is many a legend connected with 
it. In the same pasture is another curiosity — a huge tree growing out of 
the solid rock. This locality has also the iron mines, and still farther 
north is a cave which has something of a legend to make it interesting. 
It is several rods long, and is almost at the base of Potter Mountain. 

The Dkives. 

There are many fine drives in the town. The road through the village 
and northward is one of them, either straight ahead, north to Pratt's 
Hill, or bearing to the west a little, the road to New Ashford and thence 
to Williamstown. East of the village are also some fine views. Taking 
the road at the Babtist church east, the drive of two or three miles to 
Berkshire Village is a pleasant one. " The farm house of the Messrs 
Owen, recently purchased by Edward T. Whiting, a New York gentleman, 
is a cozy country seat; and Prof. E. M. Fisher, formerly of Adelphi Acad- 
emy, Brooklyn, also has a pretty place near by. Both gentlemen, with 
their families, now spend the entire year in this town. Several other city 



214 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIKE. 

families own places here, and spend a portion of the season in this beau- 
tiful retreat among the hills, which will be more appreciated when it is 
better known. Turning a little south from there the trip to Dalton can 
be, made, through the " Gulf," which on each side is a wild and pleasing 
piece of scenery. Or from the Owen place directly east to Berkshire Vil- 
lage is also a good drive. A fine grove for picnicing parties is on this I'oad, 
near Berkshire Village. Back to the village again over another road, 
near the Congregational church, is a drive for a mile east, then to the 
north over the highway leading to Cheshire, on the west of the reservoir — 
a most lovely drive. A great many excellent and prominent men have at 
various times been residents of Lanesboro ; in fact at one time it was quite 
famous for its lawyers, among them being Governor George N. Briggs in 
the early part of his practice. Henry Shaw, father of Henry W. Shaw, 
(" Josh Billings") was in his time one of the most prominent lawyers and 
politicians of the country. The homestead, which was the home of 
*' Josh Billings," still remains in the village, commanding a beautiful 
sight, and is now occupied by William B. McLaughlin, formerly of 
Baltimore. The remains of the famous humorist lie in the little ceme- 
tery in the south part of the village, as he requested, and it was also his 
desire that his monument be a rough boulder from one of the marble 
quarries in the town, without adornment or polish, with a simple 
inscription on it, giving his real name and nom de plume. The Rev Dr. 
Samuel Brenton Shaw, who at the time of his death in Rhode Island in 
1885, was the oldest living rector in the United States, was pastor of St. 
Luke's in the town for more than 30 years. His remains are buried 
here. 

Within a few years Lanesboro has become a place of resort for city 
guests for boarding. The town has many beautiful locations for 
summer villas, and it possesses a great many attractions for those who 
desire the quietude of rural life, away from the railway. The " Brook- 
side Farm" of Josiah A. Royce, 6^ miles north of Pittsfield, entertains 
guests, and is in a delightful situation for the enjoyment of country life. 
Stages leave Pittsfield, 3 p. m., Williamstown, 6 a. m.; leave Lanesboro, 
4.10 p. M. and 9.45 A. m. 



^WASHINGTON. 

WASHINGTON (to be distinguished from Mount Washington) touch- 
es the southeast corner of Pittsfield, and is about 700 feet higher, 
or, say, 1,700 feet above tide water. There are some most charming views 
from different portions of the town, especially on the west slope, overlook- 
ing Pittsfield, and from near the old Congregational church. 

Ashley Lake, which supplies Pittsfield with water, lies in a basin of white 
granular quartz, and is fed with numberless living springs of the finest 
quality of water. It is about a mile long, and just beyond is a bed of 
white sand, which for many years was used for glass-making. Undine 
Glen is near this point. There are two delightful drives out of Pitts- 
field to Washington. Just beyond the east line of Pittsfield, one can 
turn to the right, and, bearing south, follow up the hill, a new view 
opening at every turn, until the summit is reached. The center of the 
town near the old church, was the birthplace of Governor Edwin D. 
Morgan of New York. The Eev. Elijah Kellogg, one of the old-time circuit 
rider preachers of the New York conference, a chaplain in the Connec- 
ticut State prisons, was also a native of the town. 

October Mountain, the range on the east of the Housatonic, near the 
Lenox station and north, is in this town ; the outlook from it is charm- 
ing, and in the autumn, with its variegated foliage, it is a lovely eight. 
Roaring Brook, which having its source in West Pond near the eastern 
base of October Mountain, is a wild stream running through Tory Glen, a 
place visited from Pittsfield and Lenox. The " City" is a small settle- 
ment near the Boston & Albany railway station, about a mile south, 
where a view of the eastern valley is obtained. A few city guests have 
made this a summer home, and there are several cozy farm houses where 
people are entertained. 

Another drive from Pittsfield is to follow the course of the old Pontoosuc 
turnpike up the hill, along a most romantic drive, near which flows the 
Sackett Brook. When the summit of the hill is gained, two miles fur- 
ther a table land is reached, and the view is quite pleasing, especially to 
the east. It is sometimes a favorite drive to take this route from Pitts- 
field to the Washington railway station, go from there to the "City," 
and from thence by the first-named highway, back by way of the old Con- 
gregational church down the mountain to Pittsfield again. In the night, 
from the brow of the hill, Pittsfield in the distance and in the valley 700 
feet below, with its lights gleaming, makes a novel picture. 



I 



D ALTON village lies sequestered in the busy valley, through which 
runs the Housatonic Kiver's east branch, furnishing the motive 
power, largely, to the great paper mills which have made the 
town famous. There is a great deal of natural scenery in Dalton. 
To the south is Day mountain, TOO feet above the village, and from its 
summit, which is a little difficult of access, but nevertheless approachable, 
a fine view is obtained almost to the northern extremity of the county. 
Warner Hill is in the southern part of the town, toward the junction 
with Washington. West of here, in the valley where the lines of Pitts- 
field and Dalton meet, are several fine drives. The traveler on the 
Boston and Albany road, gets a fine view of Dalton as the train passes 
along on the side hill. This hill was formerly covered with a thick growth 
of timber, making it impossible to get anything but occasional glimpses 
ol this charming village. But in 1888 the timber was cut off, so that the 
entire town can now be seen from the cars. No town on the line shows 
to such good advantage from the railroad as does Dalton, and one cannot 
but be impressed with the extent and beauty of the town as seen in this 
way. The Dalton of to-day is hardly recognizable as the Dalton of four 
years ago, for the changes there have been so great as to make almost a 
new place of it. But while its appearance has undergone such a decided 
change, it still remains the same busy, thrifty town, and in fact its thrift 
is what has wrought the transformation. The improvements began about 
1886, and since then the handsome new Congregational church, the cozy 
and attractive Irving House, the large shops of the Dalton Shoe Company, 
and more than a hundred new houses have been erected. Most of these 
buildings are located in the center of the town, on what was known as 
" Carson Flat." These are all new, cozy cottages, many of them of unique 
design and of many attractive features in cottage architecture. The laud 
here is high, the soil gravel, and it is really the natural center of Dalton. 
Foremost in the matter of these changes, were the Messrs Crane, and 
Dalton's obhgation to this well-known family has been immeasurably in- 
creased. 



THE BOOK OF BEHKSIIinE. 



217 



At the upper end of the town, Hon. Byron Weston, from the 
promptings of his proverbial energy and public spirit, has built three 
handsome business blocks, which add much to the importance and ap- 
pearance of this section. The drive from Pittsfield to Dalton is a most 
interesting one. In 1886-7 the new Dalton road was built between here 
and Pittsfield, and by taking this, all grade crossings, and the danger of 
driving in such close proximity to the Junction where the Boston and Al- 
bany trains are constantly passing and switching, is avoided. The new 
road leaves Pittsfield in the northeast part of the city pi-oper, and runs to 
the northeast, joining the old road a little east of the Coltsville station. 
The drive leads one through a pleasant section of farm country, where the 
views are exquisite. Soon after leaving Pittsfield the visitor comes to the 
new stock farm of William Russell Allen. The large buildings, with the 
tasteful cottages for the use of the employes, are located a few rods to 
the north of the road, on rising ground. These buildings, with the new 
half-mile track, represent an outlay of more than $100,000, and are more 
fully described in the chapter on Pittsfield. To the north is a fine view 
of the valley, and one of the prettiest views of Greylock from a distance 
in all Berkshire. 

From the high ground on the Allen Farm, just east of Pitts- 
field, is an amphitheatre, with a kaleidoscope of views on every side. 
After reaching the old road one passes the " Government Mill," where 
the Cranes manufacture the distinctive paper for the United States cur- 
rency and bonds. The building stands at the right side of the road, and, 
when in operation, a large national flag floats from the tall staff in front 
of the building. A little beyond this mil)., is the Dalton line, and very 
soon "Cranesville " is reached. Here are the large mills of Z. & W. M. 
Crane, where the finest ladies' stationery is made. Thirty-three neat ten- 
ements near by are used by the employes, and on the Main street stands a 
neat frame building, where the Cranes have established a free library and 
reading room. This institution is very generally used by the employes of 
the mills, and the residents of this section. Opposite the library stands the 
new brown stone mansion of Hon. Zenas Crane, one of the handsomest 
and most tasteful homes in Berkshii-e. The residence of Mrs. Z. M. Crane 
is just beyond the library, and is a magnificent country home, with ample 
grounds, in the rear of which is a beautiful lakelet, fine conservatory, 
grapery, and the other accessories of the ideal Berkshire home. Further 
east is the house of J. B. Crane, who, with his brother, the late Zenas Mar- 
shall Crane, has made bank note paper for more than an ordinary life- 
time. The house is fronted by a small park, and the grounds are well 



218 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

kept. The handsome house of John D. Carson stands nearly opposite. 
Passing there, the tourist drives on by the " Old Berkshire Mills " at the 
foot of the hill. On the right are the new hotel, the Irving House, the 
new Congregational Church, the new street leading from the main avenue, 
and so on to the " Center," where are located the extensive mills and 
handsome residence of Hon. Byron Weston. The Weston mills are very 
extensive, and here is manufactured the highest grades of ledger and 
record papers. This trip is full of interest to a visitor and gives him a 
good idea of what is Berkshii-e's thriftiest town. 

Fine Papers. 

The hillsides of the town abound with the purest water, and it is to 
this source that the town is indepted largely for its reputation in paper- 
making. Who has not heard of the " Old Berkshire Mills " of Carson & 
Brown, or " Weston's Ledgers," or the famous bond papers of Crane & 
Co. , nor yet of the ladies' stationary of Z. Crane, Jr. , & Brother? The sec- 
ond paper mill in the state west of Worcester was built here in 1801 by 
Zenas Crane, the pioneer paper manufacturer of western Massachusetts. 
The hillsides are full of springs of water so pure that for months the 
water may be run through the whitest flannel without discoloring it. 
Added to these are the four artesian wells of ex-Lieutenant-Goveruor 
Byron Weston, from 100 to 500 feet deep, all discharging over 1,000 gal- 
lons a minute; the Carson & Brown Company, have one of the most 
abundantly flowing artesian wells in the country — 700 gallons a minute. 

Dalton's Industries. 

The principal industry of the town is, as is generally known, paper- 
making. Crane & Co. manufacture bank-note and bond paper. This 
concern was founded by Zenas Crane, and the original mill was erected 
in 1801. The present owners are James B., Zenas and W. Murray Crane, 
and the jiroducts of these mills has a world-wide reputation. 

Z. & W. M. Crane, already mentioned, manufacture ladies' fine writing- 
papers and envelopes, and a few years since built a large addition to 
their mill, in which they manufacture all the paper boxes used in pack- 
ing their product. 

The Old Berkshire Mills Company was established in 1801, and until 
1889 had been, for twelve years, carried on by Carson & Brown. In 1889, 
Mr. Brown sold out his interest to Z. & W. M. Crane, who with John 
D. Carson carry on the business under the name of the "Old Berkshire 
MillsCompany." The mills turn out a superior quality of linen writing- 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 210 

papers, and the " Old Berkshire Mills" paper has an established repu- 
tation all over the country. 

The Weston Mills, at the upper end of the town, constitute a large and 
valuable plant. The ledger and record papers made here are of the 
highest quality, and have taken numberless medals. The business was 
established in 1863 and has grown to large proportions. Mr. Weston has 
served in the state senate, and as Lieutenant-Governor, and is a highly- 
esteemed and most successful business man. 

The latest addition to the industries of Dalton, is the Dalton Shoe 
Company, which was organized in 18S9, with H. A. Barton, Jr., as presi- 
dent and treasurer, and M. Y. Waring, manager. A fine new factory 
building was erected, and the finest grades of ladies', misses' and child- 
ren's shoes are made. 

The Glennon and the Kittredge woolen mills and the Renfrew cotton 
mills complete the list of Dalton's principal industries. Both are well- 
established concerns, doing a good business and giving employment to a 
large number of persons. 

The employes of the Dalton mills are intelligent and well-informed 
people, who take a deep interest in the town. Between them and their 
employers kindliest feeling exists, and the result is a model manufact- 
uring town. Its water supply is ample — from a mountain brook — and at 
the village the pressure is about 150 jjouuds to the square inch. The last 
spring a generous appropriation was made for sidewalks. 

A new road from Main street to the pretty depot on the hillside, was 
laid out from Main street. The ravine in the river is crossed at this 
point by a substantial iron bridge, and from this, a wild gorge makes a 
weird picture. 

As A Summer Resort. 

The fact that Dalton is the home of so many large manufacturing es- 
tablishments, might naturally create an impression that it is not a desir- 
able summer home. But a person who forms such an idea has only to 
visit the place to be convinced of his mistake. The mills are all located 
in the valleys and almost hidden from sight; so that Dalton has none of 
the appearance of the ordinary New England manufacturing town. It is 
delightfully located, and affords opportunity for some of the loveliest 
and most romantic drives in Berkshire county. The first attempt to 
cater to summer visitors was successfully made a few years ago by W. 
B. Clark, who built the " Elm wood Cottages." For several years Mr. 
Clark entertained large numbers of people from New York, Brooklyn, 



220 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

Hartford aud other places. The building of the Irving House in 
1889, gave more opportunity for accommodating summer visitors, and 
Mr. Clark has recently sold one of his cottages and is to rent the other. 
The new hotel is very pleasantly located on the main street. It is a very 
tasteful frame building, and is peculiarly cozy and attractive. It is ele- 
gantly fitted up throughout, is supplied with all modern improvements, 
and is under the management of Frank L. Bourne, an affable and expe- 
rienced young hotel man. A fine livery is attached to the house, and the 
fame of this most excellent summer stopping place has already spread 
far and wide. The view from this house is exceptionally fine, especially 
to the west. 

Wahcoxah Falls. 
Dalton's most romantic and delightful attraction is Wahconah Falls, 
a wild little cascade situated on "Wahconah brook, just at the line divid- 
ing Windsor and Dalton. The falls are reached by a very pleasant two- 
mile drive from Dalton, and of late years have become one of the favorite 
spots in this section of Berkshire. The brook runs through property 
owned by the Messrs. Crane, and in 1889 the surroundings of the falls were 
greatly improved. The place was given the name of " Wahconah Falls 
Park." and signs were put up along the roads, directing people to the 
place. Just below the falls a good-sized pavilion was erected, and from 
a piazza on the back of this building is obtained a fine view of the falls, 
so near at hand that the spray is blown into the faces of the delighted 
onlooker. A path has been made over the rocks and through the woods 
along the brook above the falls, and seats have been put in at pleasant 
spots along the way. A rocky eminence at one side of the falls, has 
been crowned with a small arbor, and the view down the ravine from 
this spot is not surpassed by anything in all Berkshire. The water goes 
tumbling in a foamy mass over the rocks, and then sweeps on over its 
rocky bed until it hides itself from view among the trees far below. On 
either side, the high banks are covered with fine old trees, which bend 
gently over the stream, as if rejoicing in its beauty. Near the foot of the 
falls may be seen the remains of the foundation of the old grist mill 
which formerly stood here, and near at hand lie the old millstones, now 
green with moss. Farther up the stream are the remains of two other 
mills, and a word regarding the history of these mills may not be amiss. 
Considerably more than a century ago a saw mill was built ou the stream, 
near the present reservoir, by Messrs. Bassett & Cleveland. This was 
carried away by a flood in 1779, and the following year the owners built 



222 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



the grist mill near the foot of the falls. This was the first grist mill 
built in this section, and for many years did a good business. It had a 
corn and wheat mill, and two days in each year were set aside for grind- 
ing salt. The farmers would buy the coarse salt and dry it, and on the 
allotted days take it to the mill to be ground. Bassett & Cleveland sold 
the mill to Samuel and Joseph Talcott, who sold it to the state of Con- 
necticut in exchange for a grant of land. The property was then pur- 
chased by Jacob Booth, who turned it over to his son, Philander F. Booth 
(now living at Dalton). It went through several other hands, and a few 
years ago was purchased by the late Zenas M. Crane, who willed it to the 
present owners, his sons. The latter have laid out considerable money in 
making the place attractive, and contemplate still further additions. 
The pavilion spoken of is supplied with an oil stove, and parties desiring 
to spend the day at the falls can secure keys to the pavilion at the Z. & 
W. M. Crane mill, the hotel, and other places. There is no charge made, 
and the grounds and buildings are absolutely free. The third mill was a 
saw mill, built some 50 years ago by Jacob Booth. A writer says of 
Wahconah : " The stream has been constantly gaining an impetus in its 
descent, now flowing through the meadow or pasture, leisurely, and, 
again, maddened and hurried, running quite rapidly. It is a succession 
of cascades, until at this point, hemmed in by rocks and stones of quite 
large size,the stream makes a leap of some eighty feet, and lies for a time, 
partially calm, in quite a deep pool in a basin below. A pupil of Maple- 
wood, a few years ago, visited the spot, and, becoming giddy, fell from 
the rocks into this pool, and was drowned before her school-mates could 
rescue her. Wahconah Falls have a history, pleasantly told in the leg- 
ends sriven in " Taconic." The stream is named for the Indian maiden 
Wahconah, the daughter of Miahcomo, the chief of the tribe residing in 
the valley where now is Dalton. The tale is interesting, and was a 
romance indeed, but too long for these pages. The falls decided event- 
ually the fate of this fair Indian maiden, giving her to the brave of her 
choice rather than to the rival, who was ugly and painted." 

Wizard's Glen. 
The principal natural curiosity is the " Wizard's Glen," in the west part 
of the town, known as " The Gulf," on the road leading west from near the 
Methodist church to Lanesboro. Here the road passes through jagged 
rocks, and in some places the merest ripple of water, or laugh, or word is 
echoed and re-echoed. The shade in some places is delightful and over- 
hangs the highway. Tradition says that long before the paleface came to 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 223 

the valleys, this glen was the place where the priests of the Indian tribe 
made their incantations and slew their victims as a sacrifice to their god ; 
one large rock is known as Devil's Altar. This spot has its legends and 
wild stories, in keeping with the grandeur and loneliness of the place. In 
Mr. Smith's " Taconic " is an interesting legend of the adventure that one 
Chamberlain had, after slaying a deer and lying down to sleep in the glen, 
on a night of thunder and lightning. A view of the devil and his imps 
holding high carnival was opened to him, and finally, in mortal fear, 
taking out his Bible, he pronounced the Name, which dispelled the vision 
and gave him rest and quiet. 

Dal ton has its old families ; families who came with the beginning of the 
town, worked for its interest and grown deservedly wealthy and well- 
known. The Crane's, among the first settlers of the town, have been 
honored as well as widely known. Three generations have been in the 
Governor's Council. The development of the paper trade in the country 
has been aided largely by this family. Gov. Weston, the Chamberlains, 
Merriams, Greens, Carsons, Browns, Marshes, the Williamses of the 
family whose name is linked closely with other portions of Berkshire, and 
many others, all left their impress on the town for its greatest good. 

It is a remarkable fact that in the town of Dalton, artesian boring 
should have developed a series of wells furnishing the most desirable 
water for paper-making use, superior in quality, perfect in temperature, 
unvarying in flow and abundant in quantity. Such marvelous results 
have been had from the Dalton artesian wells, that we present illustra- 
tions of two of them, showing the flow of water before the piping and 
covering. The first shows a well connected with the famous " Old Berk- 
shire" mills, of which Messrs. Carson & Brown were proprietors in 
1884, when the well was sunk. The boring on this well had been in 
progress for 22 days, when the drill, at the depth of 147 feet, apparently 
broke through a rock crust, and a flow of 700 gallons per minute of the 
purest, sweetest water burst forth. 

The " Bonanza" artesian well was sunk the same year by Hon. Byron 
Weston, and was an equally remarkable success. It is 240 feet in depth, 
and flows a 12-inch stream of the purest water, which never varies from 
a temperature of 48 degrees Fahrenheit, summer or winter. Mr. Weston 
has three other wells for the supply of his mills, all of which are like the 
"Bonanza" in quality of water and in temperature, but none of the 
others gave an equal volume. The first was sunk in 1854 by Captain 
Chamberlain, a predecessor of Gov. Weston, was 150 feet in depth, and 
has since given out a continuous stream of 125 gallons per minute, 




* ^^Ww ^. %... - ftj X 



226 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



through a five-inch pipe. In 1876 Gov. Weston sunk the second well, 
obtaining at a depth of 76 feet a three-inch flow, and in 1883 another 
boring was made, which was carried down 511 feet, producing a six- 
inch stream. Although these wells are at different localities, and vary- 
so much in depth, the volume of each is constant, the quality of the 
water never varies, and is remarkably pure. 

Mount Weston. 

The view from Mount Weston, to which one may drive, two miles from 
the village center, is exceedingly fine. Here Governor Weston has his 
chalet, a log house, where, with the coziest sort of comfort, parties of 




Swiss Chalet on Mount Weston. 

friends are entertained, from time to time, with rare good feeling. 
The view from the chalet on Mount Weston is one of the finest and 
far-reaching of the many similar ones to be found in Berkshire, and 
Mr. Weston generally gives the use of his " log cabin " and surrounding 
grounds to his wide circle of friends for picnic purposes, and to tourists 
and mountain climbers for temporary shelter, rest and refreshment serving. 
On the mountain above the depot is also a fine view, andl here a local club 
have built a cabin, so that parties camping here may be accommodated. 



HIlVSDA.IvE. 

HINSDALE is located on the high lands of the county, on the main line 
of the Boston & Albany railroad, which at the station is 1,431 feet 
above tide water. The Ashmere Reservoir, in the east part of tlie town, 
covers several hundred acres on the road to Peru Center. In the north pai't 
are some fine drives, the roads gradually descending and opening a con- 
stantly-changing landscape and giving new views to the west. The 
Plunkett Reservoir, covering many acres, is in the southwest part of the 
town and is much resorted to. In fact, the town has several fine brooks 
and lakes, the latter reservoirs, which are famous for angling, while 
game abounds plentifully in the woods and the mountain peaks. 

West of the village is a pleasant hill from which a fine view is ob- 
tained, especially at the house of Milo Stowell, nearly on the summit. 
Following this road farther west, on the side of the hill, a beautiful 
view of Pittsfield and its surroundings is taken in at a glance. There is 
a mineral spring near the village, the waters of which have had some 
local reputation. 

The town has had a high reputation for good citizenship from its 
earliest days. It was named from the Rev. Theodore Hinsdale, who re- 
moved here in 1785, and his descendants are still honored both in his 
name and the branches of the parent vine throughout Berkshire. His eld- 
est daughter, Nancy, was the first teacher of a female school in Pittsfield 
and assisted largely in making the Willard College at Troy what it has 
become; the sons and grandsons of the first Theodore, have been active 
men in the town, being at present the Hinsdale Manufacturing Com- 
pany. The Whites were another old family in Hinsdale, and fri'm the 
town has gone out the head of the great firm of R. H. White & Co., of 
Boston, whose summer vacations are spent in his native town. A. 

D. Matthews, the well-known Brooklyn merchant, is a native of Hinsdale. 

E. A. Hubbard, for many years the superintendent of schools in Spriag- 
field and well known throughout the State, is a native; Henry C. 
Haskell, a missionary in Turkey, and Chauucey Goodrich, of a family 
connected intimately with the history of the town, and a missionary to 
Pekin, China, were' both natives of this good old town ; William E. Mer- 
riman, president of Ripon College, Wis., Francis E. Warren, governor of 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 229 

Wyoming are also natives, and many others could be named, who, catch- 
ing the inspiration from the town of their birth, have gone ont to useful, 
and prominent places in life in other parts of the counti y. Lyman 
Payne, who came some years ago to Hinsdale, and whose elegant country 
home is near the locality known as " The Fiat," has one of the finest 
stud of blooded horses, as well as cattle of rare excellence in the county. 
The Congregational church on a slope overlooking the village is among 
the oldest in the county. 

The town has as yet few or no country homes for city families, 
although recently a New York gentleman has purchased the old Hins- 
dale homestead for that purpose. There is but one hotel in the village, 
and there have been but little efforts made to attract summer tourists 
and guests to the town. There -are several drives of frum four to six 
miles about the town, which are very pleasant, and the roads are so laid 
out that in many instances the drives are practically around " squares." 



PERU. 

PERU, four miles from the railroad at Hinsdale, has the honor of being 
the highest inhabited land in the State. The Congregational church 
stands on the very summit, and its old-fashioned box pews still remain. 
The winds blow fiercely on this summit and to prevent the demolition 
of the steeple, there are heavy cables running down each side and fas- 
tened securely in the rock ; for verily the church at this place is " founded 
on a rock." Another prominent feature of this old edifice is that the 
rain falling on the east side of the roof runs eastward and thence to the 
headwaters of the Connecticut and that on the west side finds its way 
through the headwaters of the Housatonic. No other place in Massa- 
chusetts can boast of such a novelty. 

From this point the view to the north is very fine, and the stern old 
sentinel of the Hoosac Yalley is plainly visible and even mountains 
farther beyond in Vermont. French Mountain, 2,239 feet high, a short 
d'stance south of the church, is the highest of the summits in the Green 
Mountain range in this part of the county. Its summit is quite easy of 
access and the look-off, especially to the north and south, is magnifi- 
cently grand. The surface of the town is so broken and hilly, that there 
are fine drives in all directions. In the southern part of the town there 
are many charming slopes and hill-top views, which are so numerous 
and varied as to beggar description. Going northward through the 



230 THE BDOK OF UKKKPIIIKE. 

towns of Peril, Wiudsor, Savoy and Florida to North Adams, a charming 
view is afforded, as the tourist keeps aii the way alonjj the tup of the 
Green Mountain raiifie,— a ride that has become quite popular for a day 
or two of outing. Tlie town has abundant natural attractions, but its 
isolation has prevented any great influx of summer guests. It is purely 
agricultural, quiet, peaceful and very healthy. Stage leaves Hinsdale, 
12, noon; Peru, 2 p. m. 

A number of summer visitors find Peru a stopping place for a few 
weeks in the heat of summer, and, like Mount Washington, it is said to 
be a sure cure for hay fever. Many city parents, notably from Pittsfield, 
send their children among the Peru farmers for a few Aveeks, for genuine 
rest, recreation and the opportunity to romp and recreate. Some fine 
trout brooks abound. 



ON the east slope of the town there are numberless interesting drives, 
through a fine farming region. On the Westfield river is a settle- 
ment of good families where a few summer people have tax'ried for a 
season. Of late the town is having a good many tourists who are at- 
tracted to it by its quietude and the home life of its people. Stage leaves 
Hinsdale, 12, noon ; Windsor, 2 p. M. 

Windsor Hill, rightly named, is reached by an easy though somewhat 
hilly road from Dalton, up the Wahconah Brook. From this hill, one 
stands nearly in front of Greylock, looking almost into its very summit, 
apparently only a short distance away. It is one of the finest views from 
the range. It is a treat to climb to the belfry of the old Congregational 
church and look upon the glorious landscape. The road north to Savoy, 
or northwest to Cheshire is an attractive drive. There are several old 
burial grounds in different parts of the town which have some queer 
epitaphs. 

The family of which Senator Dawes is a worthy descendant, was 
among the first settlers, and he tells now with a good deal of relish how 
he walked six miles to the old church, one winter day through the snow, 
to be examined by the school committee as a pedagogue in one of the 
schools of the town. Men of prominence in professional life have gone 
out from Windsor, and one of the originators of the prayer meeting 
under the haystack at Williams College, from which sprang the mission- 
ary effort of the new world, was a Wiudsor young man. 



CHBSHIRE. 

THIS town presents twenty-five angles in its outline. The range of 
Mils to the east are of the Green Mountains. The best way to 
reach Stafford's Hill, the first place in town inhabited by white 
people, is to follow the Savoy road, east, for a short distance to 
the Jacques district, so-called, and then turning north to Stafford's Hill. 
From the top of this hill the view is most charming. On the same range, 
near the extreme southern border of the town and above the residence of 
George Fisher, east of the middle of the reservoir, is another 
magnificent view, to the south especially. In fact there is no end of 
views at nearly all points in this part of the town. The scenery around 
Cheshire Harbor, in the north part of the town, where the river lies 
landlocked in a snug harbor, is also strikingly beautiful. 

On the west side of the village is a range of hills which are also rich in 
variety of scenery. Going west of the village a little way, then turning 
northward through the road known as "Pork Lane," there is a fine 
drive, and, from the R. C. Brown farm is a wood road which leads nearly 
to the summit of Greylock; it has for years been the favorite route to the 
top of that interesting place. Further on the west line, among the hills 
plainly seen from the railway and the village, whose slopes are 
dotted with farm houses, is Little Mountain, which is next to Grey- 
lock in point of view in the northern part of the county; its summit is 
bald, and from it in a clear day, five different states, Massachusetts, 
Vermont, New York, Connecticut and the peaks in New Hampshire, can 
be easily seen with the naked eye. The Catskills, forty miles away, are 
clearly seen. 

The sand beds, from which the purest of silex is obtained, in the 
east part of the village, are a curiosity; the furnace where iron is made 
is worth a visit at night. The Berkshire Glass Works, only four miles 
south are often visited in summer, at evening especially, when the blow- 
ing is in process. 

The Northrup Brook, emptying into the reservoir near Farnura's, is a 
curiosity. After leaving its source for some distance, it suddenly enters 
the ground and is lost to view for a considerable way and finally emerges 
from a cnve materially increased in size. A little way further is Barker's 



232 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

Falls, with a single leap of about 75 feet. Nearly all the places of iu- 
terest on the west slope are easily accessible and can easily be driven 
to with a team. 

The Fisks, of whom the famous " Jim " Fisk was a descendant, were 
for many years residents of Cheshire; the elder James, was born in 
town and lived here for years. The eccentric Elder Leland, a divine of 
the Baptist denomination, widely known in his time, was for many years 
the village pastor, and his old house still stands a little west of the 
village toward the cemetery. The old cemeteries of the town are 
numerous and they are worth a visit by the curious. The famous 
Cheshire Cheese will go down in history as the idea of this eccentric 
parson. He was a great admirer of President Jefferson, and, accordingly 
he invited a contribution of the cheese curd of the town to be made into 
a cheese for him. It was gathered at the cider mill of Captain Brown 
and into the hoop on the cheese press the curd was turned. The result 
was that nearly every family and nearly every cow in the town had 
contributed to it, and when finished the mammoth cheese weighed 1,2.3.5 
poutids. The cheese was taken to Hudson, in a wagon and shipped to 
"Washington by water. The anecdotes of this celebrated, eccentric par- 
son are still told with great zest in the town. 

The village Avears an air of cozy thrift and comfort, and from it the 
drives are legion. The valley is so situated that one drives up on the 
east side for example and back by the west road and the traveler finds 
not only many new things to attract the eye, but an entirely different 
picture as the scene is reversed. A fine drive to Pittsfield, is down the west 
bank of the reservoir, rising the hills to Lanesboro and thence to Pitts- 
field, ten miles, and back by the Junction, through the Berkshire Glass 
Works and on the east side of the reservoir to Cheshire again. Going 
north toward Adams through "The Harbor" to Adams village, then 
turning by the paper mills there, striking the east slope of that village 
and back by the "Pumpkin Hook" neighborhood, striking the east road 
in Cheshire and back to the village again, is a lovely drive of ten miles 
with new scenery at each turn. The road east of Cheshire Harbor is ro- 
mantic, among rocks and hills, a good highway all the distance. Pittsfield 
is ten miles, Lenox 16, Williamstown 15; North Adams at the other and 
northern extremity of the valley is ten miles; Adams, five miles; and 
Savoy, with a number of pleasant mountain drives, seven miles. 

The town has an abundant and never failing supply of fine water, 
brought in iron pipes from springs and brooks in the hills west of the 
village. The supply has never been affected by a dry season, and there 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 233 

has never been a case of typhoid fever in the town since the water has 
been in use. The sanitary conditions of Cheshire are excellent, and the 
place has never known an epidemic. 

Cheshire is situated on the Pittsfield and North Adams branch of the 
Boston and Albany railroad and has superior accommodations in the New 
York and Boston connections at Pittsfield. 

The town has become a summer resort for people from New York and 
Brooklyn largely, though I'hiladelphia, Buffalo, and other cities have 
been represented. The development in this direction is only limited by 
the accommodations. Ten years ago, the country seat of the late R. C. 
Brown was opened for a summer rest as " The Cedars," by his son, Fred 
C. lirown, and it has been a resort for many people, among them Judge 
Hall, of the New York Marine Court, Warren Brown, a New York lawyer, 
Mr. Studley, manager of the Goodyear Rubber Company, Mr. Rintoul, 
manager of the Morgan estate of New York, the Thompson, an old family 
from Buffalo, and many others. The Cedars is still the principal resort 
of the to'vn, and its capacity is taxed every summer. Mrs. N. W. Mason's 
" Brookside Cottage" and Mrs. Daniel Wood's "Maple Hill Farm" en- 
tertain a number of city people every summer, and the roomy farm house 
of W. A. Pomeroy in the east part of the town, is filled with guests each 
season. As a rule the families going to Cheshire are among the more 
cultivated and educited people of the cities. A few j^ears ago Mrs. Du- 
mont, of New York, purchased the Richardson estate north of the village 
and christened it very properly " Greylock Villa." This house is now occu- 
pied every summer by Asa Hull, the well-known composer of sacred music. 
TheHoosac Valley House, in the south part of the village, has also had 
several summer guests, and is a well-kept hotel. At the foot of the hill, 
north of "The Cedars," still remains the old tavern built by the King 
family in the Revolutionary days, and at this tavern the signal guns were 
fired, calling the militia together to march for the battle of Bennington. 
The old house is well preserved. Cheshire is rich in many ways, both in 
its natural beauty, its peculiar early history, and its traditions. A number 
of prominent men in other parts of the country have been reared in this 
town, among them Gordon Cole, a prominent lawyer of St. Paul, Minn., 
Captain Turtle of the United States Engineer Corps, and others. 



SAVOY. 

THIS is one of the hill-top towns of Berkshire, grand in a good many 
bits of scenery, and cold in winter. Spruce Hill, in the north part 
of the town, Lewis Hill, and some others, are prominent, and from their 
summits a good many fine views are obtained. A trout supper at 
Bowker's, the only hotel in the town, is a treat which many from Adams 
and North Adams often enjoy. He has been for more than sixty years 
the village postmaster, and the house contains many rare relics, espe- 
cially in old books, etc. The little Baptist church in this hamlet was es- 
tablished over one hundred years ago. The longevity of the town is pro- 
verbial, and a lady (a native of Savoy) died only the past year, who had 
reached her 100th birth-day. Of late the town is resorted to a good 
deal in the course of a drive by tourists, and the main road through the 
town east and west is the thoroughfare to Cummington and other 
Hampshire towns. From some of the points in the town, a clear sketch 
from Monadnock to Greylock is obtained, and the course of the tunnel, 
imder Florida Mountain, is clearly defined. There are " Savoy Hollow," 
the center. South and North Savoy, villages — all mere hamlets — in this 
town. Savoy is quite a resort for driving parties from northern Berk- 
shire and even as far south as Pittsfield. 

The eastern range of the hills overlooks some grand pieces of scenery 
in the Deertield Valley, and to the rugged hills beyond in Franklin 
County. There are five hamlets in the town; Savoy Center and Savoy 
Hollow are the principle ones, in the latter, in the south part of the town, 
being the only hotel. It is an old-fashioned hostelry well-kept, with 
country fare; but a Stockbridge tourist, on a recent summer, said of it, 
that he found it his ideal of an inn, in a town of that rank. 

Artist R. G. Shurtleff, of Springfield, whose easel frequently holds some 
of the finest landscape views in Western Massachusetts, is not vinmindful 
of the beauties which Berkshire keeps in store for him, has made this 
hotel his headquarters for a season's sketching, and speaks of the scen- 
ery of the region as being very fine, the village life quietly fascinating 
and the hotel an attractive place for temporary sojourn. The latter is 
also a favorite place for a night's tarrying for those who go up to the 
hill-tops of Northern Berkshire in carriages for a brief outing of rest, 
relaxation and sensible enjoyment. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



285 



Many of the religions of the day have flourished in this little town ; 
there have been Mormons, Adventists, Baptists, Methodists, Congrega- 
tionalists, Shakers, who remained only a few years however, and some 
others. William Miller, the father of Millerism, labored here for some 
time. Excellent families have had their origin in Savoy. Abel Carpenter 
went to Chicago when it was but a village of logs, delivered the first 
temperance lecture in that city, and started the first Sunday school 
there. Jarvis N. Dunham, President of the Springfield Fire and Marine 
Insurance Company, is a native of the town. There are many fine drives, 
and the town is easily accessible by stage from Adams, only six miles 
away. The town is also in the line of the drives on the mountain top 
from Hinsdale to Florida and North Adams. 



NE^W ASHFORO. 



THIS town is a picturesque gorge, lying between the giant foot hills of 
Saddle Ball on the east and as^jur of the Taconics on the west. The 
scenery is grand, and there are few drives in the county so romantic as 
this part of the old country road between Pittsfield and Williamstown, 
which passes through what is locally and appreciatively termed the 
" Switzerland of Berkshire." 

Sugar Loaf is a shapely mountain, with several small caves, and its 
dens have been the resort of coons and mountain cats for a long time. 
An autumn hunt at night for these animals is among the attractions 
of the place. Saddle Ball is eastward from Sugar Loaf, a continuation 
of Greylock and a prominent peak in Northern Berkshire. It cuts the 
horizon with a bold and symmetrical outline, and the view from its 
summit, which is accessible with but little effort, is one of the grandest 
in the country. The view from Beach's Hill is especially fine, and from 
its summit, which is easy of access, one looks down over the town as into 
a basin; the deceptive arrangement of the hills give the appearance of 
sloping walls, with no possible outlet for road or river. 

In the north part of the town is the old Brown sawmill, spanning a 
chasm of great depth, which a mere railing separates from the highway. 
This view is of more than common interest, and is the subject of a 
fine painting. The stunted hemlocks over the rocky edge of the narrow 
abyss, the rvxins of the old mill, the crumbling and mossy pillars of the 
old dam and the general wilduess of the locality, as a background, make a 
most charming picture. 



236 THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIKE. 

Near the village is tlie old cemetery where the " rude forefathers of 
the hamlet sleep," and far outnumber the living. The inscriptions are 
some of them quaint. In the southwest part of the town is Baker's 
Cave, the entrance to which is through a circular opening in the meadow. 
From this, a cavernous passage extends 100 feet or more with a sharp 
descent, to a cold spring at the bottom. 

The stage from Pittsfield and Williamstown makes daily trips through 
the village. The air and scenery and mountain drives are all that can be 
desired, but as yet there is no hotel, and but few people have been 
attracted to the town as a resort. Its attractions, however, will amply 
repay the tourist for a close intimacy with them. 



FLORIDA. 

FLORIDA possesses some of the most attractive views in all northern 
Berkshire, and is almost entirely in its length and breadth on the 
summit of the Green Mountain or Hoosac range, as it is called at this 
point. It is a barrier of rock and mountain between Berkshire and the Deer- 
field Valley, and through its entire width the Hoosac Tunnel pierces its 
heart; in fact all but a few feet of the tunnel is in the town of Florida, 
although the great work is intimately associated with North Adam-i, 
which is only a mile or so away from its western portal. The town haij 
an elevation of from 1,000 to 1,400 feet above the valley. 

Its drives are a panorama at every hand. On the west side, after the 
summit is reached, and especially on the road over the mountain to 
North Adams, it is a grand picture. In fact the village of North Adams 
is hardly left before the hill-top opens its grand views. The town is a 
succession of hills and valleys when the top is fairly reached, until the 
slope towards the east side is approached. On the east slope is another 
magnificent view, although not so far reaching. There is a narrow valley 
of the Deerfield, near the east portal of the tunnel, and here, rising at 
least 1,000 feet to the west, is the range of mountains, down the side 
of which the stage road has come, and the passenger, when he alights, is 
almost dizzy as he thinks of the rugged passage he has made. Florida 
is really on the top of the mountain, its east side presenting an unbroken 
succession of hills and mountain peaks, while its west side towards 
North Adams is also steep and not easy of access, excepting over the 
established roads. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 2o7 



HOOSAC TUXXEL. 

During the building of the tunnel, in a depression of the valley, a shaft 
was sunk, known as the Central Shaft, to the depth of over 1,000 feet, 
so that the tunnel had four headings, one each from the east and west 
ends, and two from the central shaft. Here was a busy settlement of 
miners and workmen, and during the work a fearful accident occurred 
whereby nearly forty men lost their lives and were buried, more than a 
year, GOO feet in the bowels of the mountain, while that space was filled 
with water. An accident to the pump house, which was destroyed by fire, 
prevented them from being rescued and the pumping of the water cost the 
State an immense sum. The place is an interesting one to visit, and it 
is a wonder how the great hills of stone piled up on every hand were 
ever raised out of the interior of the mountain. The shaft is protected 
by a wall 16 feet high, so that there is no danger of falling down its 
cavernous mouth. The spot is easily reached by a highway turning 
south just as the town line is reached out of North Adams, above 
that village. The length of the Tunnel is 25,081 feet, or about 4| miles. 

Florida village is a little hamlet on the top of the mountain, with no 
special attractions excepting its isolation and quietude. The other vil- 
lage is Hoosac Tunnel Station. From Florida village north and east is a 
well kept and romantic road to Monroe in Franklin County and thence to 
Readsboro in Vermont, which latter town is also a summer resting place 
of considerable note. Near Mr. Whitcomb's the road bears to the south 
and east, and all the distance presents many views which attract the be- 
holder. The road through the town, north and south, is a delightful one 
fur an easy carriage drive through Savoy, Windsor and Peru to Hinsdale. 

Whitcomb Brook flows east and joins the Deerfield River near the east 
portal of the Tunnel. One of the famous waterfalls in Berkshire is at 
this point, known as the Twin Cascades. Two tiny brooks join each 
other after their chase down the steep mountain sides and make a leap 
of nearly forty feet. 

On the east side near the Tunnel portal is a beautiful bit of scenery. 
The mountain rises abruptly, and away on the hillsides farm houses are 
seen as though they were fastened to the side of the mountain. At this 
portal there is a ravine which is quite charming. A few feet south of 
the entrance is seen distinctly what appeal's to be an immense auger hole, 
where the first attempt was made to bore through the mountain, by a 
huge machine. A fine dam was built a short distance up the river, and 
altogether the scenery, the narrow valley, the rushing river and other 
surroundings are well worth a visit. A path, several rods wide, leading 



238 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

directly over the mouatain through the woods, is exactly over the Tun- 
nel and was made to assist in the engineering operations. 

On the east side of the town, down by the Deerfield River, is a lovely 
narrow valley, with the river as the east boundary; beyond, high on the 
bank, is the railway, and then the towering hills of the range in Frank- 
lin County. Here is the Hoosac Tunnel Station, and it is a pleasant 
drive down this valley through Zoar, to Charlemont, Shelburne Falls and 
thence to Greenfield. A good many summer people have sought rest 
and quiet at the Station. Jenks & Rice have a hovxse for summer guests 
and can accommodate 50 or more very comfortably. The Hoosac Tunnel 
House also accommodates a number of people. The village is easily 
reached by trains on the Fitchburg, and also the Xew Haven & North- 
ampton railroad. The place is also a resort for excursionists who 
spend the day very profitably about the tunnel and the works there. 
The Messrs. Newton have built a narrow gauge railroad running up the 
river to Readsboro, to which there is a delightful trip of a few hours, 
or a carriage drive up the valley is a pleasant recreation. 



CLrARKSBURG. 



THE eastern boundary of the town is the Green Mountain range, or the 
Hoosacs, as they are termed here, and commanding peaks arise in 
all directions in that part of the town. The great mountain in the western 
part plainly seen from North Adams, with a dome-like summit and almost 
bald, affords one of the finest points of observation in Berkshire, 2,272 
feet high. The western part of the town has few or no roads, but the 
eastern part has drives and attractive scenery on every side. From any 
of the points, and especially the road from North Adams directly north 
through Houghtonville, the picture is grand, particularly toward the 
south when the sunimit is reached, 

The road from North Adams through Clarksburg is a romantic drive. 
Up Union street past the great printing works of the Freeman Manu- 
facturing Company, are other mills, like the Union, the Beaver, and 
so on following the stream, the Hoosac, to Briggsville, which is the real 
village of Clarksburg, where the postoffice is located. High mountains 
are on the east in Florida, and on the west the more fertile hills of the 
farms, while all along is a most delightful shade. This highway is the 
main road to Stamford and Bennington, Vt., a most charming day's out- 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. -39 



ing. There is no hotel in the town suitable for resort. Here is neither 
church, doctor nor lawyer; North Adams being so near at all points that 
none are necessary, and, the inhabitants find their church affiliations 
either in that village or in Stamford, a few miles away. 

From North Adams, again, another pretty drive is up Eagle street, and on 
the high ground just above the village another view of the valley below 
is obtained. This drive of about four miles to its junction with the 
other road up the Hoosac branch, is a fine one. 

As yet few summer residents have come to Clarksburg; and while 
there are many fine farms in the town, the surface of which is broken 
and uneven, and though there are many good farm houses, architecture 
of modern style has obtained no foothold, and the town's best attraction 
is that which Nature has so profusely lavished on every hand and which 
is better appreciated by the sight than by a description. Its citizens are 
excellent people, and some of them would entertain guests in the 
quietude of their homes. 



^WII^D FIvO'WER.S AND PLANTS. 

In these days of festheticism, flower worship is a prominent character- 
istic of the times. Wild flowers that our forefathers passed by without 
regard, or knew not the existence of, are now eagerly sought. Berkshire 
has choice attractions in this line, for it is famous for having in plenty 
great varieties and many species and families of rare and beautiful wild 
flowers. 

There are only two plants poisonous to the touch — the poison ivy and 
the poison sumach, otherwise called dogwood. After the earliest spring 
flower, the Hepatica (two varieties) comes Trailing Arbutus, which 
thrives hardly anywhere so well as m Berkshire. The Azalea is hardly 
out of bloom in the woodland, when some of the handsomest Ladyslip- 
pers to be found in the world are in blossom. Four kinds of these orchids 
are found — the Stemless Ladyslipper, the Small and the Large Yellow, 
and the magnificent Showy Ladyslipper. Among other orchids are the 
Showy Orchis and the Purple Fringed Orchis. There are in all 23 kinds of 
orchids. Of the two Anemones, the Woody blossoms in May and the Vir- 
ginia in June. Three kinds of Meadow Rue appear from May to July, the 
last being the most beautiful; during the same time four or more kinds 
of Buttercups appear. The Marsh Marigolds, or Cowslips, are plenty in 
wet places in May, when the Gold Thread, with its pretty white flower 
and golden roots is also seen. The spring brings the Wild Columbine, 



240 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



commonly called Wild Honey Suckle, and the Eed and White Baneberries. 
The Tulip tree, with its faint orange yellow large bell-shaped flower, 
blossoms in June, and the May Apple or Mandrake, is an edible July 
fruit. There are the White and Yellow Water Lilies, the Purple Pitcher 
Plant or Huntsman's Cup, of the bog, the Bloodroot of April and May in 
rich woods, the Dutchman's Breeches of May, two kinds of St. John's- 
wort in June, the early Spring Beauty and eight or nine Violets. The Herb 
Eobert is a little geranium, and the Cranesbill is a variety of the same. 
There are two kinds of Jewel Weed, the Flowering Wintergreen, and five 
kinds of Clover. The Vicia Cracca is a climbing plant with purple flow- 
ers. Wild roses are numerous, the Purple Avens is found in three kinds, 
and the Shrubby Cinquefoil grows in neglected meadows. 

All berries are numerous — Strawberries, Blackberries, Dewberries, Red 
and Black Raspberries, Black and Blue Huckleberries, so that there is 
plenty of berries to eat all summer. The Hawthorne is the genuine May- 
flower, the Shadbush blossoms early, the Saxifrages may early be seen 
climbing on rocks. The Bishop's Cup comes out in May, the pink-purple 
Witton Herb is seen in August; there are two Orpines, yellow and purple, 
and three or four brilliant yellow Evening Primroses. The Star Cucumber 
with its pretty flower in July and August, climbs over bushes, the Aralia 
has a June flower, the Carnel bushes have bright red berries, and there 
are yellow and red Wild Honeysuckles, the real, not the Columbine. 
Many of the flelds are so thickly covered with Bluets all summer that they 
seem to have a reflection of the sky. 

Over 100 members of the Aster family are found here and over 20 
kinds of Golden Rod. Several varieties of the Lobelia are found, among 
them two or three of the blue, and the Cardinal flower, which may be 
found in Berkshire in greater quantities than elsewhere in all Xew Eng- 
land; this flower, with its bright cardinal tint, grows so plentiful that 
acres are colored with it, and an armful may be picked by one standing 
in one place. There are Bell Flowers and Indian Pipes, the latter in 
woods. The Heath family is very plenty; the Mountain Laurel, Sheep 
Laurel, Swamp Laurel and Azalea grow in all woodland. In woods there 
are three pretty varieties of the Pyrola. The red False Beech Drops are 
found in September in oak and pine woods, the Star flower is plenty, the 
Broom Rape has one flower and no leaves, and grows as a parasite from 
the roots of trees. There is the Snakehead, the Monkey flower that 
makes the road sides blue a quarter of a mile in a place, the Gerardia 
with its large yellow bells, and two wild Verbenas, blue and white, 
blossoming in July. 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIEE. 



241 



The mints are numbered by over 20. The Viper's Bugloss has a bril- 
liant blue, the Hedge Bind Weed flowers in July, the Climbing Bitter- 
sweet shows its orange and scarlet berries in autumn, and three kinds 
of Gentian, one of them Fringed, are plenty in September. Buckwheat 
is found in ten varieties, the Iris is represented by two kinds of Blue 
Flag, Blue Eyed Grass is common, the Carrion flower comes out in June, 
the Trillium grows in three varieties — the Yellow, Purple and Painted. 
Indian Cucumber Root, three varieties of Bellwort, the Clintonia, a wild 
lily, Solomon's Seal in several kinds, several varieties of "Wild Lilies, 
Wild Lupine, Pickerel Weed, and Dog Tooth Violets are all found more 
or less plenty. 

Here are the Staghorn Sumach with its crimson spikes, the Crocus, the 
numerous Cat-tails, Exquisite Ferns, including Maidenhair, four kinds 
of Club Moss, commonly called Ground Pine, Tree Pine, Club Pine and 
Eunning Pine, Jacob's ladder, several kinds of Bushes, 83 kinds of 
Sedge Grasses and numerous Grasses and Rush Grasses; the Sassafras 
abounds, the Aromatic Wintergreen or Checkerberry, the crimson-purple 
Poke Berries, the Mountain Ash, Daisies in many varieties, the eaz-ly 
Coltsfoot, Wild Sunflower, the Sidesaddle flower, Water cress, omni- 
present Frost Grape vines. Among the numerous nuts are the chestnut, 
butternut, walnut and hazelnut. Mosses grow in 60 varieties, and 
Lichens in many kinds. The Clematis, climbing over dark alders, be- 
comes beautiful in the autumn, and in Williamstown a purple variety 
has been found. The Witch Hazel blossoms close the flower season as 
late as December. There are nearly 200 kinds of trees in the county and 
about 1,100 varieties of wild plants. 

" If it be summer," writes Prof. Hitchcock, "these vast slopes are 
covered from base to summit with a vegetable dress, embracing every 
hue of green, from the dark hemlock and pine to the almost silvery 
whiteness of the white oak and poplar. If it be autumn, that same 
foliage, now assuming almost every color of the spectrum, and of hues 
almost as bright, presents one of the most splendid objects in nature." 



CIvIMATE. 

THE air of Berkshire is dry, extremely pure and bracing. Its humidity 
is considerably less than that of sea coast air. The county is but lit- 
tle affected by the disagreeable east winds so much complained of along 
the Atlantic coast and interior of New England, east of the Connecticut 
River. The wind is from the northwest through the day about half the year. 



242 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



The autumn is later and the spring earlier in the county, south of 
Lenox, by one to two weeks, than in the region north. The following 
table which compares the temperature taken at Williams College at an 
altitude of 708 feet with the temperatures of several cities, shows a 
higher summer temperature than is found in many places in the county 
at places more exposed to cool winds and at greater elevations : 



PLACE. 


I 


VIEAN TEMPERATURE IN DEGREES. 




YEARS 
OF 




SPRING. 


SUMMER. 


AUTUMN. 


WINTER. 


WHOLE 
YEAR. 


OBSERVA- 
TION. 


Williams 
College, 




43-44 


67.25 


47.36 


23.2S 


45-33 


37 


Boston, . . . 


45.61 


68.68 


51.04 


28.08 


48-35 


38 


Albany, . . 


46.54 


70.43 


49.56 


25.26 


47-95 


46 


New York, . 


4S.26 


72.62 


54-54 


31-93 


51.83 


22 


Philadelphia, 


50.07 


73- 


54- 


30-05 


52.01 


57 


Hartford, . . 


47.89 


69.75 


51.70 


29.89 


49-81 


17 



The summer temperature is from 1.43 to 5.75 degrees cooler at Wil- 
liams College than at the cities named — cities that send many of their 
residents hither at this time of the year ; and, on account of the dryness 
of the air here and the humidity of the air near the sea coast, the difference 
in summer and in all other seasons of the year is vastly greater, meas- 
ured by sensation, the feeling being much more comfortable in Berkshire 
■whether in hot or cold temperature. 



POPUI^AXION OF PRINCIPAL, XOIVNS, 1885. 



Adams, 10,000 

Alford 341 

Becket 938 

Cheshire, 1,448 

Dalton 2,113 

Egremont, 826 

Gt. Barrington (error in census), about 4,900 

Lanesboro, 1,212 

Lee 4,274 

Lenox, 2,154 

Monterey, 671 

Mount Washington, . . , 160 

New Marlboro', .... 1,661 

North Adams, 14,500 

Otis, ........ 703 



Pittsfield 16,000 

Richmond, 854 

Sheffield 2,033 

Stockbridge, .,...• 2,114 

Tyringham 457 

West Stockbridge, . . . .1,648 

Williamstown 3,729 

Berkshire County, 32 towns, about 74,000 



1880 CENSUS. 

Salisbury, Ct., . 
North Canaan, Ct., . 
Norfolk. Ct., 
Hillsdale, N. Y., 
New Lebanon, N. Y., 



3,715 
1537 
1.418 
1,939 
2,245 



BBRKSHIRB'S XOPOGRAPHY. 

The Berkshire region is not quite confined to the county limits. Beyond 
these the choicest extension is on the soutli three or four miles into 
Litchfield county Connecticut; on the west the country peculiar to Berk- 
shire goes a mile or so into New York; on the north Vermont is an infe- 
rior continuation of it; while on the east it is lost in a few miles in the 
western mai-gin of the Connecticut river valley. Comprehending these 
narrow strips of country around the county of Berkshire, the region 
is about 55 miles long, and averages about 25 miles in width, and con- 
tains about 1,400 square miles. The natural features of the southern 
half of the county have been the most known to fame, but the northern 
half has many attractions, and recent local enterprise is bringing some of 
them to notice. 

The western boundary of the region is the Taconic Mountains, a nar- 
row range, which begins on the north at the Hoosac River valley and runs 
into hills in Connecticut on the south. The New York state line runs 
along these mountains. East of them is a composite valley, five to ten 
miles wide, unlike other large valleys and constituting the greatest 
source of Berkshire's beauty. Eastward of this is an extension of 
the Green Mountain range, about thirty miles wide, broken into many 
ranges and spurs by gorges and narrow valleys. The wild and picturesque 
are found in these ranges of mountains, but the beautiful belongs to the 
valley alone. 

Here, whatever way one looks, there is a mountain background, dark 
and harmonizing in tint with the intermediate landscape. The broad 
valley is called composite, because it is made up of hundreds of smaller 
valleys between spurs of the main mountain chains and isolated hills and 
moimtains. The most conspicuous of these is Greylock Mountain, the 
highest in the state, which extends a few miles north and south and east 
and west and divides the north end of the great valley into two parts. 
The finest background is made by the Taconics in the southwest cor- 
ner of the county, where the Dome rises, the second highest moun- 
tain in the state. Every view is a symphony of many natural effects — of 
mountain range, of lake, of hill, of forest, of separate hills in all sorts of 
restful shapes, of ravine and precipice, of river and brook, of farm house, 



244 THE BOOK OF BEEKSHIKE. 



of meadoTvwith graceful elms, of country home of some city inhabitants — 
all combined to make a perfect whole, without imitation and without 
duplicate. Every observant visitor to Berkshire has noticed how sud- 
denly the views change and how radical the change often is. Governor 
John A. Andrew spoke of " the delicious surprises " of Berkshii-e rides; 
but he is only one of thousands who have remarked them. There are 
no two views in the broad valley or on the adjacent mountain slopes, 200 
yards apart, that do not possess decidedly distinct differences; and places 
are very common where 50 steps will quickly change the scene as by the 
wand of magic. 

Just above the middle of this long valley rise the Housatonic and 
the Hoosac rivers, the one flowing north and northwest, and the other one 
flowing south, and both possessing many tributary streams to grace their 
valleys. Within the county are 55 natural lakes, principally in the 
southern half, and half as many artificial reservoirs, while in the narrow 
margin outside of the county there are twenty or thirty more lakes, mak- 
ir J, in all, about 100 bodies of water that lend charm to the landscape 
and sport to the fisherman and boatman. The altitiide of the great val- 
ley at the south end is about 700 feet above the ocean; in the middle it is 
about 1,000 feet; at the foot of Greylock it is about 1,100, from which 
it descends considerably, northward. The mountain elevations range 
from 2,000 to 3,500 feet, and are inhabited on nearly every square mile. 

In the following table of elevations, the village elevation is that of the 
railway station, where there is one. 

The elevations on the following pages must be taken as more or less cor- 
rect approximations. Those obtained by leveling, are fi-om railroad sur- 
veys, which have started, some at tide, and others a few feet above, the 
number not being known, and such elevations apply to the track at the 
railway station of the village mentioned. The figures here given are not 
in all respects harmonious, though apparent errors are not great. Eleva- 
tions taken by barometer vary considerably, and it is only by repeated 
trials that accuracy is reached, which has not always been the case in this 
list. In the following table L means engineer's level; B means barometric 
measurement; (?) expresses some uncertainty. 



EIvEVAXIONS IN BERKSHIRE.^ 



Greylock, 



ADAMS. 

Feet above tide. I 
. . 3,535B I Spruce Mountain, , 

BECKET. 

^^'ard Pond, , 
Green water Pond, 
Viet's Summit, 



Feet above tide. 
2,08SB 



1,G00L 
1,3:3L 
l,r23L 



Becket, 1,20CL 

BecketHill 2,194B 

West Becket, .... 1,3S0L 

Shaw Pond 1,380L 

CANAAN, CT. 

Canaan, Ct., G70L t Canaan Mountain, 

East Canaan, .... T90L I 

CLARKSBURG. 

Clarksburg Mountain, 2,272B 

COPAKE IRON WORKS, N. Y. 

Copake Iron Works, N, Y., . . . • 

DALTON. 

Dalton, 1,197L i Mount Weston, . 

Day Blountain, .... 1,900(?) | 

FLORIDA. 

Hoosac Tunnel, central shaft. 



1,500B 



670L 

2,200(?) 



Hoosac Mountain, east summit 

over tunnel, 
Hoosac Tunnel, east portal, 



2,269L 
766L 

GOSHEN, CT 



Hoosac Tunnel, west portal. 



Ivy Mountain, 



GREAT BARRINGTON. 



Great Barrington, . . . 723L 

Mount Bryant 1,448B 

Highest part of East Mountain, 1,740B 

Berkshire Heights, . . . 980B 

Van Deusenville, .... 726L 

Housatonic, 749L 

Three Mile Hill 930L 

Monument Mountain, . . . 1,260 (?) 
June Mountain, (Wildwood Cot- 
tage), 

June Mountain, (June's Spring), 



Water Company's Reservoir, east 

of river, 

Street at J. A. Brewer's house, . 
Street at Berkshire House, . 
Housatonic River Bridge near 

"Brookside," .... 
Green River Bridge, (Egremont 

Road), 

Summit in Highway south of 

Mark Laird's 



839L 
766L 



1,640B 

793B 
704B 
716B 

672B 

673B 

1,092B 



865B 
953 B 

HANCOCK. 

Potter Mountain, 2,410B 

HILLSDALE, N. Y. 

Hillsdale, N. Y 670L | '\Vliite's Hill, 1,510B 

* The town elevation given is at railroad station, when there is one. 



246 



THE BOOK OF BEEKSHTBE. 



HINSDALE. 
Feet above tide. 



Hinsdale, 



Feet above tide. 
. 1,430L 



Lee, 



Lenox Village, . 
Lenox Station, . 



LEE. 

865L I South Lee, . 

LENOX. 

1,268 [ Lenox Furnace Mill Pond, 
QSTL New Lenox, or Dewey's, . 
Yokun's Seat, 



843L 

934L 
977L 
2,080B 



Lenox Furnace, 937L 

LITCHFIELD, CT. 
Litchfield Hills, 1^00 

MONTEREY. 

Monterey, 1,230L | Lake Garfield, .... 1,250L 

MOUNT WASHINGTON. 

The Dome, 2,624B 

Fray Mountain, .... 1,915B 
Mount Alandar, .... 2,200B 



Race Mountain, .... 2,300B 



Cedar Mountain, 
Sunset Mountain, 



New Marlboro, 



1,775B 
1,790B 



West Mountain, .... 2,300B 
Bear Rock, l,57oB(?) 



Isaac Spurr's, 
O. C. Whitbeck's. 
Mount Ethel, 



NEW MARLBORO. 
1,470L I Lake Buel, 
NORFOLK, CT. 



1,653B(?) 
1,698B(?) 
1,833B(?) 



900(?) 



Norfolk, 

Haystack Mountain, 

Dutton Hill, . 



1,250L 
1,670B 
1,632B 



Bald Mountain, .... 1,770B 
West Norfolk, .... 1,080L 
Norfolk Summit, .... 1,335L 



NORTH ADAMS. 



North Adams, 



NORTHEAST, N. Y. 



Rudd Pond, 



701L 



796L 



OTIS. 



Otis, 1,290L 

West Otis, 1,350L 

East Otis, 1,440L 

Otis Reservoir, (Rand Pond,) . 1,480L 



Great Pond, 1,540L 

Parish Pond, 1,515L 

Thomas Pond, .... 1,620L 

Cold Spring, 1,200L 



PERU. 
French Hill 2,239B 

PITTSFIELD. 
Pittsfield, ..... 1,013L I South Mountain 1,870B 

RICHMOND. 
Richmond 1,046L | Perry's Peak, .... 2,0S9B 



THE BOOK OF BEEKSHIEE. 



247 



Salisbury, .... 
North Pond, ( Mt. Riga), . 
Round Pond, (Mt. Riga), . 
Water Shed, west of Round Pond, 
Lake Wononscopomuc, 
Barac Matiff , .... 
Prospect Mountain, 
Indian Mountain, . 



Seymour Mountain, 
South Sandisfield, 
Upper Spectacle Pond, 
Lower Spectacle Pond, 



SALISBURY, CT, 

Feet above tide. 
G90L 
1,732B 
1,722B 
l,r60B 

723 
1,250B 
1,450B 
1,360B 



Monument Mountain, . 

Lion's Head, . 

Bald Peak, . 

Bear Mountain, 

Ore Hill, , . . 

Lakeville, 

Twin Lakes, 

Foley's Summit, H. &C.W. R, R. 



Feet above tide. 
2,300B(?) 
1,675B 



2,000B 
2,250B 
830L 
720L 
740L 
772L 



SANDISFIELD. 



1,698B 
1,350L 
1,575L 
1,540L 



Montville, 1,300L 



West New Boston, 
New Boston, . 



SHEFFIELD. 



675L 



Red Bridge at Kelloggtown, 
Summit Pitcher's Notch, 
State Line, Housatonic R. R. 



Sheffield, 

Bridge, Sage's House at Ravine, | 783B(?) 
Ashley Falls, .... 683L 

SOUTH EGREMONT. 
South Egremont, 

STOCKBRIDGE. 
Main Street, 833L | Glendale, . . . . 

TYRINGHAM. 
"Femside," ...... 1,160(?) | Mountain near "Femside," 

WASHINGTON. 

1,436L I Highest Raikoad Point, 

WEST STOCKBRIDGE. 
901L 
793L 



Washington, 



West Stockbridge, 
Williamsville, 



Williamstown, .... 594L 

Berlin Mountain, . . • . 2,814B 
State Line, Mass. & Vt., (Troy & 

Greenfield R. R.) . ' . 577L 
Williams College, (Old Observ- 
atory,) 708L 

Moimt Hopkins, .... 2,79'>(?) 

Greylock, center peak, ' . 2,59] B 

Bald Mountain, .... 2,597B 



1,010L 
980L 



648B 
719B 
690L 

700L 

826L 

2,200(?) 

1,451L 



State Line, 


> . • 


913L 


Rockdale Mills, 


. • • 


840L 


sTOWN. 
Sunset Rock, 


. • 


. 1,992B 


Berlin Pass, . 


• • • 


2,192B 


Petersburg Mountain, . 


. 2,534B 


Petersburg Pass, 


... 


2,075B 


East Mountain, (copper bolt,) 


2,276B 


Stone Hill, . 


... 


• 1,086B 


Summit between 


Williamstown 


» 


and Hancock on 


I highway. 


1,215L 



SOMB OF THE DRIVES AND DISTANCES 

Ix AND Akound Berkshike. 

SUCH are the extraordinary profusion and variety of Berkshire charms 
that the drives are limited only by the roads. Hardly a drive can be 
found that is not worthy of note. However, there are some drives that are 
particularly desirable and these are embraced in the following tables. It is 
a happy fact, most strikingly found in Berkshire, that, no matter what 
way one drives, he may return by some other route that does not vary 
much in distance from that of the outgoing route, so that the scene is 
constantly changing to the very end. For the benefit of tourists, on 
foot, with horse, or wheel, distances between towns on the main lines of 
travel are given. All routes mentioned are the most dii-ect, unless other- 
wise specified. There are numerous fine short drives of two to five miles 
near each village, which it is unnecessary to mention. 



FROM PITTSFIELD. 



Miles. 

Potter Mountain 9 

Hancock, via Potter Mountain, 

Balanced Rock, 

Lanesboro, via Pontoosuc Lake, 

Constitution Hill, in Lanesboro, 

New Ashford, via Lanesboro, 

South Williamstown, via Lanesboro 
and New Ashford, .... 

Wilhamstown, via Lanesboro, New 
Ashford and South Williamstown, 

Williamstown, return via North 
Adams, Adams, Cheshire, Berk- 
shire and Coltsville, .... 

Adams, via Cheshire, .... 

North Adams, through the Hoosac 
Valley, 

Cheshire, via Lanesboro, and over 
the hill keeping west of the reservoir, 
return via east side of the reservoir, 
Berkshire, Coltsville, 

Lanesboro, thence to the road to 
Cheshire, crossing the reservoir to 
the east about midway its length, 
return via Berkshire Glass Works, 

Berkshire Glass Works, 



n 

4 

5 

7 

12 

16 

20 



45 
15 

20 



20 



Miles. 



Boulder Trains, Richmond, . . 8 

Perry's Peak, Richmond, ... 9 
Queechy Lake, Canaan, N. Y., via 

Richmond, 12 

Queechy Lake, north through Leba- 
non Valley to Jit. Lebanon Shakers, 

return, -25 

Onota Lake, 8 

Pontoosuc Lake north end.to Balanced 

Rock, return, 9 

Craneville, 5 

Dalton, via Coltsville, ... 5 

Dalton, via Junction and Bartonville, 7 

Wahconah Falls, via Dalton, . . 9 

Windsor Hill, via Dalton, ... 13 

Peru meeting house via Hinsdale, . 17 

Worthington, via Peru, ... 22 

West Cummington, via Windsor Hill, 22 

Goshen and Plainfield, , . . 25 

Cummington, 23 

Hinsdale, via new Pittsiield and 

Dalton road, 8 

Hinsdale, via Dalton village street, 11 

Hinsdale, via back road, ... 12 

Ashley Lake, .... 5 



THE BOOK OF BEEKSHIKE. 



2-19 



FROM PITTSFIELD.- (Continued.) 
Miles. 



The Gulf and Wizard's Glen, . 

Dalton meeting house, west through 
the Gulf and Wizard's Glen, return, 

Lanesboro, Berkshire, and return, 
Pontdosuc, Z. Crane, Jr's., farm, 
Oren Benedict's, .... 

Pontoosuc, farms of Z. Crane, Jr., 
and W. F. Milton, Coltsville and 
return, 

Pontoosuc, W. F. Milton's, north 
past Thomas Barber's to the road 
running from Berkshire to Lanes- 
boro, Lanesboro and return, . 

Shaker Promised Land, via West 
street, north through a delightfully 
romantic part of the town, return, 

Lebanon Springs, directly over the 
mountain, 

Lebanon Springs, return via Lebanon 
Shakers, through Hancock Shaker 
community, Barkerville, and 
Stearnsville, 

Lebanon Shakers, via Hancock 
Shakers, 

Hancock Shakers, .... 

Lulu Cascade, 

Berry Pond, 

West street to Francis place, Stearns- 
ville and return, .... 

West Stockbridge, via Barkerville 
and Richmond, .... 

Richmond Congregational church, . 



10 
13 



17 



11 

7 



Washington church, , . 
Washington, at the "City," 
Washington, via direct road east, to 

Washington Station, return via the 

"City," Asliley Lake, 
Becket, via Washington, 
Barkerville, . . . . 
Barkerville, via Stearnsville, turn 

east, return via upper or hill road, 
South Mountain, and"Broadhall," on 

Lenox road, .... 

Lenox, 

Stockbridge, via Lenox, 
Stockbridge, via Curtisville, 
Lake Mahkeenac, .... 

Lee, via Lenox 

Lee, via Lenox, return via Lenox 

Furnace, 

Tyringham, via Lee, . 

"Fernside" (Tyringham), via South 

Lee, 

Otis, via Lee, .... 
Lenox, return via old Lebanon turn 

pike, West Stockbridge road, 
Around Onota Lake, out via North 

Woods, return via Peck's, 
Greylock Mountain, via Cheshire 
Barkerville, Branch's Corners, Han- 
cock Shakers, return, 

Cemetery, 

Tory Glen, 

Mount Weston, Dalton, 



Miles. 
7 
10 



FROM LENOX. 



Pittsfield, 6 

Pittsfield, return via east road, . . 14 
Pittsfield, return via mountain road. 

New Lenox, 16 

Lanesboro, 12 

Williamstown, 26 

North Adams, 26 

Adams, SO 

Cheshire, 16 

Dalton, (railway station), ... 12 

Lebanon Shakers, .... 9 

Lebanon Shakers, return via Pittsfield, 21 



West Stockbridge, .... 
State Line, via West Stockbridge, . 
Chatham, via West Stockbridge, 
West Stockbridge, Richmond, return, 

Richmond Hill, 

Richmond, Barkerville, Pittsfield, 

return, 

West Mountain Drive, 
Under West Mountain Drive, . 
Over Bald Head Mountain, return, . 
Higginson's Corner, "Highwood," 

return, 



23 

18 

3 



2 

6 

13 

13 

S'A 

11 

20 
16 

17 
23 

16 

6 
16 

9 
2 

B 



6 

9 

20 

15 



16 

10 

5 



4^ 



250 



THE BOOK OF BEBKSHIBE. 



FROM LENOX. 

Miles. 

Lebanon Springs, .... 12 

Lebanon Springs, return via Pittsfield, 25 

New Lenox, 4}^ 

New Lenox, return via Lenox Sta- 
tion, 11 

Lenox Station, 2J^ 

Lenox Furnace, . ' . . . 2^ 
Lenox Furnace, return via Lenox 

Station 6 

Lee, 4 

Lee, return via Lenox Furnace, . 10 
Wasliington Mountain, via Lenox 

Furnace, return via New Lenox, 18 
Lee, return via "Higlilawn Farm," 

Stockbridge road, .... 10 
Tyringliam, via Lee, return via Soutli 

Lee, 20 

East Lee, return via Lenox Furnace, 14 

Femside, 9 

Femside, return via Lee, ... 19 
Stockbridge, via Lee, return, . . 15 
Stockbridge, return via lake road, . 13 
Stockbridge, return via Curtisville, . 14 
Stockbridge, return via West Stock- 
bridge, 16 

Curtisville, 4^ 

Around Lake Mahkeenac, ... 10 

Curtisville, West Stockbridge, return, 14 

Glendale, via Stockbridge, return, . 16 

Housatonic, 10 

Great Barrington, via river road, . 15 

Great Barrington, via Stockbridge, . 14 
West Stockbridge, Williamsville, 

Housatonic, return, .... 22 



—(Continued.) 

Miles. 

Lake Mahkeenac, .... 2}^ 

Lily Pond, IH 

Laurel Lake, 3 

"Highlawn Farm," .... 4 
Bradley's Comer, Palmer's, return via 

Lake Mahkeenac, ... 11 

Rathbone's, Dorr's, return, . . 5 
Rathbone's, Dorr's, return via Lenox 

Station road, 6 

Lebanon Road, via Happy Valley, to 

Bradford's, return, .... S^ 

Through "Cliffwood" Park, . .4 to 6 
Curtis's Farm, to the Lenox Furnace 

road, return, 5^ 

Sand's place. Lake Mahkeenac,return, 6J^ 
Lanier's farm, private road to Stock- 
bridge road, Thomson's private 

road to Lee road, return, . . . 3J^ 

Bashbish, 87 

Bashbish, return via river road, . 55 

The Dome of the Taconics, . . 27 

Twin Lakes, East Side, ... 27 

Sheffield 20 

Salisbury, 30 

Otis, ....... 16 

Hartford, via Lee, Otis, New Boston, 

Colebrook, 60 

Hudson, via West Stockbridge, State 

Line, Canaan, Chatham, Ghent, . 32 
Albany, via Lebanon, Brainard's 

Bridge, Nassau, .... 40 
Springfield, via Lee, Becket, Bland- 
ford, Westfield, .... 42 



FROM STOCKBRIDGE. 



Lee, over hill, . . . . 
Lee, via river, . . . . 

Pittsfield, 

* Great Barrington, 

Great Barrington, via Glendale, 
Glendale, . . , . . 

Housatonic, 

West Stockbridge, 

" Femside," 

Tjrringham, Hop Brook road, , 



4 

5 

12 

9 
1>^ 
4 
5 
6 
8 



Curtisville, through [Lake Averic, 
base of West Stockbridge moun- 
tain, return by turnpike, ... 7 
W. Stockbridge, via Williams River, 
Fuary's Quarries, Glendale, return, 12 

Lake Buel, 10 

Lake Mahkeenac, (Sayles's), . . 3 

Lake Averic, 3 

Monterey, via Monument Valley, 
Blue Hill, return via Beartown, . 18 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



^51 



FROM STOCKBRIDGE 
Miles. 
3 



-(Continued.) 



Curtisville, 

Lebanon Shakers, 

Baslibish, 

The Dome of the Taconics, 
North end of Lake Mahkeenac, . 
Around Lake Mahkeenac, . 
Glendale, return through Mr. Butler's 
Around Monument Mountain, . 

Lenox, . 

Lenox, via Lake Mahkeenac, 
Lenox, via Curtisville, . 
Monument Valley to Blue Hill, 
W Stockbridge, ret. via L Mahkeenac 



18 

21 

21 

4 

8 

3 

10 

6 

7 

8 

5 

13 



Miles. 



Perry's Peak, via West Stockbridge 
Richmond, ret. via W. Stockbridge 

Richmond Church, via West Stock- 
bridge, return, .... 

Monument Mountain, return via 
Smith Farm, (horseback ride) , 

Monument Mountain, summit, . 

Long Lake, via Glendale, Housa- 
tonic, Williamsville, return via Van 
Deusenville, Monument Mountain, 

Lenox, via Lee, return direct, . 

"Highlawn Farm," ... 



24 

18 

8 
5 



16 

14 

5 



FROM GREAT BARRINGTON. 



Stockbridgft, . 
South Lee, 
Lee, 

Lee, via South Lee, 
Lenox, . 
Pittsfield, 
Housatonic, . 
Glendale, 
Curtisville, 
West Stockbridge, 
North Egremont, 
South Egremont, 
Mount Washington, 
New Marlboro, 
Otis Center, . 
Monterey, 
Mill River, . 
Sheffield, 
Clayton, . 
Ashley Falls, 
Canaan, Ct., . 

Canaan Camp Meeting Grounds 
Norfolk, Ct., . 
Winsted, Ct., 
Salisbury, Ct., 
Lakeville, Ct., 
Millerton, N. Y. 
Hillsdale, N. Y, 
Hudson, N. Y., 
Springfield, via Sandisfield, New Bos 
ton, Tolland, Granville, Southwick, 



9 

12^ 

14 

20 

5 

7 

9 

10 

5 

4 

10 

9 

16 
8 
8 
6 
11 
10 
12 
14 
18 
26 
15 
17 
22 
10 
27 

42 



Otis Reservoir 19 

Lake Buel, 5 to 6 

Lake Buel, return via Brush Hill, . 14 
New Marlboro, return via Brush Hill, 22 

Lake Garfield, 10 

Stockbridge, Lenox, return via Lake 
Mahkeenac, Stockbridge, Glendale, 
Stockbridge, Lenox, return via Cur- 
tisville, 

"Highlawn Farm," .... 
Monument Mountain, Summit, . 
Williamsville, return via Long Lake, 
Alford, via new road, return via old 

road, 

Alford, return around Tom Ball 
mountain, via marble quarries, 

Williamsville, 17 

Green River, N. Y., via Seekonk, re- 
turn via North Egremont, 

Prospect Lake, 

White's Hill, via North Egremont, . 
White's Hill, via Seekonk, Dr.Beebe's, 

return via North Egremont, . 
North Egremont, via Seekonk, re- 
turn via Egremont Plain, 
Mount Washington, Whitbeck's, Sun- 
set Mountain, 

The Dome Summit, via Walsh place, 

Bashbish, 

Bashbish, return via Copake Iron 
Works, Hillsdale, .... 



993^ 

28 

11 
11 



17 
5 
8 

16 

10 

11 
13 
18 



252 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIEE. 



FROM GREAT BARRIXGTON.— Continued. 



MIks 
Springfield, via Monterey, Otis, 
Blandford Center, ^Yestfield, . . 42 

Westfield, 33 

Stockbridge, return via Glendale, . IG 
Stockbridge, Curtisville, and return, 18 
Between Sheffield and Great Barring- 
ton there are seven roads — the mead- 
ow (6 miles) , east (-) , Brush Hill (S) , 
west (/) , So. Egremont ig) , So. Egre- 
mont and " Bowwow" (lo) , So. 
Egremont andunder mountain (15), 
21 round trips by different roads, 13 to 23 
Six roads to cross roads, between Great 
Barrington and Sheffield, 15 round 

trips, ~ to 14 

Clayton, return via Ashley Falls, 

Sheffield, 23 

Tipping Rock, via Mill River, return 
via Southfield, New Marlboro, Lake 
Buel, 20 



Miles. 
Bear Rock, via IMount Washington, 15 
Bear Rock, via Sheffield roads, . 
Bear Rock, via Mount Washington, 

return via Sheffield roads. 

Sage's Ravine, 

Sage's Ravine, return via Chapinville, 

Cooper Hill, 

Tv/in Lakes, cast side. 

Twin Lakes, between the lakes, 

Gardner's, 

North Egremont, via Seekonk, return 

via Baldwin Hill, Egremont Plain, 
Around IMount Riga, via South 

Egremont, Mount Washington, 

Bashbish, Copake Flats, near 

Millerton, Lakeville, 
North Egremont, Prospect Lake, 

turn to right at J. L. Millard's, top 

of mountain, return via Ox Bow 

summit, Baldwin Hill, ... 14 



13 

23 
13 



13 



14 



43 



FROM SHEFFIELD. 



Sage's Ravine, 

Twin Lakes, East Side, 

Twin Lakes, between lakes. 

Babes' Hill, .... 

Salisbury, Ct., 

Lakeville, Ct., 

Millerton, N.Y., . 

Canaan, Ct., .... 

Canaan Camp ^Meeting Grounds 

Ashley Falls, 

New Marlboro, 

Mill River, .... 

Campbell's Falls, . 

Norfolk, Ct., .... 

Winsted, Ct., 

Falls Village, Ct., 

Clayton, .... 

Clayton, via East road, 

Clayton, via East road, returr 

Mill River, 
Bashbish, via Guilder Hollow, . 
Bashbish, via Sage's Ravine, 



G 

7 

8 

G 

IJ 

13 

•6 

6 

8 

4 

8 

G 

9 

14 

23 

11 



16 
14 

12 



The Dome, 

South Egremont, .... 

Lake Buel, 

Lake Buel, return via Great Barring- 
ton, 

Under tlae JNIountain, Chapinville, 
return via Cooper Hill, 

Wetaug, over South End Ashley 
Mountain to Twin Lakes, return, . 

Tipping Rock, via Mill River, return 
via Southfield, New iNIarlboro, 

Guilder Hollow, via "Bowwow," re- 
turn Lender ^Mountain, 

Mossy Glen, . 

Sunset Hill, . 

White's Hill, 

Prospect Lake, 

Ice Gulf, 

Spurr Lake, . 

Six round drives over 4 roads to cross 
roads towards Great Barrington, 7 to 12 



14 
5 



19 
15 
16 
17 

14 
4 
3 

11 
8 
5 



For drives to Great Barrington, see Great Barrington 



THE BOOK OF BERKSIIIHE. 



FROM SOUTH EGREMONT. 
Miles. 



Prospect Lake, 3X 

White's Hill, 6 

North Egremont, .... 3 
North Egremont, return via Baldwin 

Hill, 7 

Sage's Ravine, 8 

Hillsdale, N. Y 6 

Twin Lakes, between the lakes, . 11 

Twin Lakes, East Side, ... 12 

Salisbury, Ct., 12 



Mi!3 



Green River Village, .... 

North Egremont, Prospect Lake, 
turn to the right at J. L. Millard's, 
top of mountain, return via summit 
of Ox Bow, under mountain road, 

Sheffield, 

Sheffield, via under mountain road, 
return, 

Guilder Hollow, Jug End, Frank 
Curtis's, return, 



11 
5 

14 



The Great Barrington drives can nearly all be made from South Egremont; for distance 
add or subtract 4 or S miles, where necessary. 

FROM ADAMS. 



North Adams, 5 

North Adams by one route, return 

the other, 10 

Cheshire, 10 

Cheshire, east road, return via west 

side of valley, 12 

Williamstown, via the Notch road, . 7 

Williamstown, via North Adams, . 10 
Williamstown, via Notch road, return 

via North Adams and east road, . 17 
Pittsfield, either via Cheshire and the 
Glass Works, or keeping west of the 
reservoir through Lanesboro, . . 15 
Gd out by one of the routes to Pitts- 
field, and return the other, . . 30 
Savoy, (fine twilight drive), . . 7 

North Savoy, via North Hoosac 

street, 4 

Stamford, Vt., 10 



The Afternoon and Sunset drive, via 
North Savoy, through Florida, 
with a view of the Deerfield val- 
ley, returning via North Adams 
and back to Adams, .... 

New Ashford, via Cheshire and then 
over the hills, 

Continue this drive through New 
Ashford, South Williamstown and 
Williamstown and back via the 
Notch road, .... 

West Cummington, 

Cummington, .... 

Greylock Hall in Williamstown, 

Lanesboro, via Cheshire, 

To Cross Road north of Howlands 
via west road, return on east road, 

Windsor Hill, .... 

Stafford's Hill, .... 



FROM NORTH ADAMS. 



Williamstown, either by Greylock 

Village or Blackinton, ... 6 

Adams, either the east or west road, 5 
Adams, via east road, return west 

road, 10 

Summit of Greylock, via The Notch, 8 
Adams, via the Notch road, . . 8 
Stamford, Vt., three routes. This 
drive north through North Eagle 
street ; or via Weslyan Hill road, or 
through the Union, or the Beaver, 5 



Hartwellville, Vt., via Stamford, Vt. 
Readsboro City, Vt., via Hartwell 

ville, Vt., and Stamford, Vt, . 
West Summit of Hoosac or Florida 

Mountain, over Tunnel, . 
Central Shaft of Tunnel, . 
East Summit of Florida Mountain 

over Tunnel, .... 
Hoosac Tunnel Station and Jenks 

& Rice's Hotel, 
Pittsfield, 



20 



10 



25 
12 
15 
12 
10 

4 
8 
4 



12 

17 

4 
5 



9 
20 



254 



TUE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



FROM NORTH ADAMS. 
Miles. 



-(Continued.) 



To the Cascade, in The Notch, . 

Natural Bridge, . . . ' . 

Readsboro, Vt., to east end of Tun- 
nel, return over the Hoosac range 
via Florida, 

Sadawga Springs, Vt., via Stamford, 
Hartwellville and Readsboro City, 

Jacksonville, Vt., via Readsboro City, 

Wilmington, Vt., .... 

Bennington, Vt., via Pownal, . 

West Portal ®f the Hoosac Tunnel, 
or the West Shaft, . . . . 

West Portal of Tunnel, along the 
base of the mountain, return to 
village through Main street, . 

Go east from the village to the "Five 
Roads," or "Five Points," north 
through Clarksburg, along base of 
mountain, return via the Beaver 
and the Union, 



2J4 
1 



33 

SI 
24 
27 
20 



Miles. 



Pittsfield, via east road, leaving out 
Adams village to Cheshire, then on 
east side of reservoir to Glass 
Works and the Junction, return 
via Lanesboro, over hill on west 
side of reservoir, through Cheshire, 
then on west road to Adams, 
Zylonite, 

Pittsfield, via South Williamstown 
and Lanesboro, .... 

Pittsfield, via South Williamstown, 
Lanesboro, return via Cheshire, 

Lanesboro, 

Cheshire, 

South Williamstown, • . . . 

Greylock Hall, following the river 
all the way, 

Greylock Hall, return via Williams- 
town village, 



FROM WILLIAMSTOWN. 



Berlin Moimtain, .... 5 

Petersburg Mountain, ... 5 

(The "Snow Hole," is two miles be- 
yond Petersburg Mountain.) 
Mason's Hill, return, .... 6 
Bennington, Vt., via Pownal, . . 14 
North Adams, either by Greylock 

Village, or by Blackinton, . . 6 

To the Notch, above and east of 

North Adams, 7 

The Cascade, in the Notch, . . 4J4 
Summit of Greylock, via new road of 

the Park Association, ... 9 
South Williamstown, three roads, . 4J^ 
South Williamstown, via the "Ob- 
long," 9 

Around the "Oblong" (Short), . . 2 
Lebanon Springs, via Hancock, . 20 
Mount Lebanon Shaker Village, . 22 
Over Potter Mountain, Lanesboro, 
return via New Ashford, South Wil- 
liamstown, 32 

Pittsfield, via New Ashford and 
Lanesboro, ..... 20 



For a day's driving one of these routes 
is taken out and the other back. 

North Pownal, Vt., 

Hoosac Corners, .... 

Hoosac Falls, N.Y., . 

Stamford, Vt., via North Adams, 

East end of Hoosac Tunnel, 

Central Shaft of the Hoosac Tunnel 

Notch road to Adams, 

Same route out, return through the 
valley via North Adams, . 

Adams, via North Adams, . 

New Ashford, .... 

Bald Mountain, near Greylock, 

To "The Hopper," 

To the Notch, returning via Bray 
tonville and Blackinton, . 

Northwest Hill, return via Pownal, 

Macomber Hill, turning to the left a 
mile from Berlin Mountain, . 

To the "White Oaks," on the east 
side of the river, going northeast 
and returning via the Professor 
Hopkins chapel, . . . . 



40 

26 

46 

15 

10 

9 



13 



45 
8 
14 
17 
10 
19 

7 

18 

11 

8 

7 

5 

9 
9 



THE COOK OF BERKSHIBE. 



255 



FROM WILLIAMS TOWN.— (Continued.) 



Miles. 

Hancock, 13 

Pittsfield, via North Adams and 
Hoosac Valley to Cheshire, . . 25 



Miles. 
Bennington, Vt., return via Pownal, 13 
Mt. Anthony, via Pownal, . . 12 

Mt. Anthony, via Bennington, Vt., . 16 



FROM SALISBURY, CT. 



Around Twin Lakes, . . . . 11 

Between Twin Lakes, return via 
Chapinville, 7 

Between Twin Lakes, return via 
East road, 11 

Between Twin Lakes, return via un- 
der mountain road, .... 8 

Around Twin Lakes, via under 
mountain road, 13 

Sage's Ravine, 4J^ 

Sage's Ravine, return via between 
Twin Lakes, 10}^ 

Canaan road to Frink's Hill, Knapp 
road Canaan Falls, return, . . 13 

Canaan Falls, Lime Rock, return, . 12 

Around Lake Wononscopomuc, . 7 

Around Lake Wononscopomuc, re- 
turn via Rose Hill, .... 13 

Mount Riga, via Rossiter Hollow, 
return via Selleck Hill, ... 10 

Mount Riga, via Rossiter Hollow, 
return via Selleck Hill, Lincoln 
City, 11 

Mount Riga, via Rossiter Hollow, 
return via West road, Lakeville, . 13 

Over Selleck Hill, return via Lincoln 
City, 4 

Sharon Village, via Lakeville, east 
side Lake Wononscopomuc, Town 
Hill, return via Mudge Lake, Lake- 
ville, 17 



Prospect Mountain, .... 

Sharon Village, same way out, return 
via Indian Lake, Old Ore Hill, 
Lakeville, 

Sharon Village, same way out, over 
Sharon Mountain to Housatonic 
River at Cornwall Bridge, return 
via Lime Rock, 

Sharon Village, same way out. South 
Amenia, Leedsville, Sharon Val- 
ley, return via Mudge Lake, . 

West Cornwall, via Lime Rock, re- 
turn via Cream Hill, 

Cornwall Bridge, via west side of 
river, Cornwall Plains, Mohawk 
Mountain, Cream Hill, return, 

Bashbish, via Rossiter Hollow, Mount 
Riga, return via Copake, Rudd 
Pond, 

The Dome, via Rossiter Hollow, 
Mount Riga, return via South 
Egremont, 

The Dome, 

Bear Mountain, via Rossiter Hollow, 
Mount Riga, 1 mile beyond, path 
of half mile, 

Bear Rock, 

Bear Rock, return via Mount Riga, . 

Winchell Hill, (3 miles west of Mil- 
lerton) , return via Bird Hill, . 

Sheffield 



20 



35 



25 



28 



38 



37 



41 

17 



5 

6 

19 

18 
10 



These drives are all made from Lakeville; for distance, add or subtract IJ^ or 3 miles 
where necessary. 

FROM CANAAN, CT. 



Butcher's Bridge, east side Twin 
Lakes, return via Cooper Hill, We- 
taug, 

Butcher's Bridge, between Twin 
Lakes, return via Cooper Hill, We- 
taug, 

Sage's Ravine, 



13 



15 
9 



Norfolk, 7 

East Canaan, Clayton, return, . . 10 
East Canaan, Whiting River Fill, 

Clayton, return, .... 18 

Campbell's Falls, . . . . TJ^ 

The Dome, via South Egremont, . 20 

Around Rattlesnake Hill, ... 4 



256 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



FROM CANAAN, 

Miles. 

Around Twin Lakes, through Chap- 
inville, 

Butcher's Bridge, west side river to 
Canaan Falls, return east side, 

There are 4 roads to Falls Milage — 
west, east, west of railroad, under 
Canaan Mountain — affording 6 
drives, 12 to 14 



CT.— (Continued.) 



Miles. 



18 



13 



Campbell's Falls, via East Canaan, 
Whiting River Fill, return via 
Clayton, 

Sheffield, 

Salisburj', 

Canaan Mountain Pond, via Norfolk, 

Canaan Mountain Pond, return via 
South Canaan, 



Around Haystack Mountain, 

Doolittle Pond, . 

Canaan Mountain Pond, 

Canaan Mountain Pond, return via 

South Canaan, Canaan, . 
Winsted, .... 
Winsted, return via Grantville, 
South Norfolk, 
Winchester, .... 
Winchester, return via Winsted, 
The 5 mile square drive southwest 

of the village, . 
Ivy Mountain Tower in Goshen 



FROM NORFOLK, CT. 

Ivy Mountain, return via Cream 

4 Hill, Canaan, 

4 Mohawk Mountain Tower, 

Colebrook, 

20 Colebrook, return via North Cole- 

8 brook, Doolittle Pond, . 
18 Canaan, 

4 Canaan Mountain 

9 Campbell's Falls, . . . • 
20 Ashley Falls, via Campbell's Falls, . 

Litchfield, 

5 Hartford, 

10 Great Barrington, .... 



15 
6 

9 
11 

20 



40 

18 

6 

13 

7 

6 

5 

11 

IS 

35 

18 



Trips to Twin Lakes, Salisbury and Lakeville are made by cars. 

Trips to the Dome, Bear Mountain, Sage's Ravine, Bashbish, are made by cars to Salis- 
bury, where teams are got. 




i!^^J>i« 



A HASXV XOUK. XHROUGH BEMKSMIRE. 

With Some of its Maix Features. 

HE years of late show a marked increase in the 
number of tourists through Berkshire ; in- 
cluding in the term, those who made a tour 
of the region with horse and carriage, or on 
foot, on horseback, or with bicycle. The 
tourist, however, has a very faint 
idea of the real Berkshire ; it is only 
those who live here for a whole 
season, at least, who begin to have 
an appreciation of the region that 
is its due. No one should come here 
expecting to be startled by awful forms 
of natui'e. Berkshire has a few of these, but one must go elsewhere to 
find them abundant. The scenes here are beautiful and picturesque, 
interspersed with wildness, and to appreciate such scenes requires a 
more I'etined taste than to stand in awe of bold and imposing effects. 
But the tourist who does not hurry, and who will take excursions from 
the main lines of travel, v/ill much enjoy his Berkshire journey. The 
remarkably fine condition of the roads are very favorable to agreeable 
travel in all ways, and the choice keeping at hotels will alone do much 
toward putting the traveler in good humor. 

The Berkshire region is entered on the north through Bennington, Vt. ; 
on the northeast over the Florida Mountains at the Hoosac Tunnel; on 
the east up the Westfield River to Pittsfield, or from Westfield or 
Springfield over the hills to Lenox, Stockbridge, Great Barrington or 
SliefSeld; on the southeast, through Winsted, Ct., to the outpost at 
Norfolk; on the south by the Housatonic River valley in Connecticut ; on 
the southwest through Millerton, N. Y. ; on the west to the south end of 
the county through Hillsdale, N. Y., to the middle through Chatham, N. 
Y., and to the north end through Hoosac Falls, N. Y., on the northwest. 
The terminus of the tour through the region should be Salisbury or Nor- 
folk in Connecticut on the south, and Williamstown or North Adams on 



the north. In the following outline, 



village attractions, 



and others that 



258 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

take but little time or miy be seen in passing, are not mentioned, and 
only such principal matters are referred to as a tourist would most like 
to see, with not time enough to see all. A reading of the town articles 
may discover other objects of interest. 

Beginning at the south end, no one should neglect to visit Salisbury 
and see the lake at Lakeville, the Twin Lakes, Washinee and Washining, 
get some of the views from the mountain tops and enjoy some of the 
beautiful drives of the region. Sage's Ravine lies near the state line on 
the way to Sheffield and, near by, a steep road goes up the mountain 
to Bear Rock, about a mile from the main road. After a sufficient stay in 
Sheffield, the east road to Great Barrington should be taken. Here 
several days can well be utilized. One should walk to East Rock, 
Belcher's Cave, Berkshire Heights south of the pine grove. Among the 
drives that must be taken are those to White's Hill, to Lake Buel and 
Ice Gulf, to Monument Mountain, and an excursion of two days should 
be made to Mount Washington, one day for the Dome, and one for 
Bashbish, going to one of the mountain boarding houses for food and 
lodging. 

At Stockbridge one should walk to Ice Glen and Laura's Rest, and take 
several of the charming rides of the neighborhood, including the one 
to "Fernside," one around Lake Mahkeeuac and " the new drive " through 
Lake Averic, near Fuary's quarries, along the base of the mountain, and 
the West Stockbridge road back. The Lenox visit must be largely 
devoted to drives, including, on the way, the old county road from Stock- 
bridge to Lenox, a visit to " Highlawn Farm," if the traveler is a lover of 
horses, a ride to the top of Bald Head Mountain, one through " Cliffwood " 
park, a visit to the glass works at Lenox Furnace, and other rides over 
the principal roads of the town. It is well to go to Pittsfield over 
the east road along the base of the mountain, taking in Tory Glen and 
Roaring Brook on the way, or through Richmond, ascending on the way, 
Perry's Peak. Pittsfield has some beautiful drives that would more than 
take the time that can probably be spared for them. One ride ma.v be to 
Wahconah Falls in the edge of Windsor, near Dalton, ten miles, return- 
ing by the way of the farm of Z. Crane, Jr., in the north part of Pittsfield. 
If Sunday finds the tourist in Stockbridge, Lenox, Pit-tsfield, or Cheshire, 
he will want to visit the Lebanon Shake's, ;iiul see their religious 
observances. Interesting drives are to Wizard's Glen, four miles off, 
Roaring Brook and Tory's Glen, not far off on the side of Washington 
Mountain, a ride over Potter Mountain, nine miles away, to Perry's Peak, 
nine miles, and the glass works at Berkshire Village, six miles off. From 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 259 

Pittsfield the traveler will pass thriiugh Lanesboro, seeing the Balanced 
Rock in that town, and proceed to Williamstown, where he will be 
greatly interested in village perfection, and in examining the scenery 
from several favorable places. At North Adams the Hoosac Tunnel, the 
magnificent prospect from Florida Mountain, and the Natural Bridge, a 
mile northeast of the village will take a day, and from North Adams a car- 
riage road leads to the top of Greylock, the outlook from which no one 
must omit seeing. The order of this tour will vary a little according to 
the point of beginning, in what respect the map will show. If the tour- 
ist's exit is on the northwest, the order will be Lanesboro, Adams, North 
Adams and Williamstown, instead of the order mentioned, which was in- 
tended for a northeast exit. 

This tour embraces some of the leading features of the region, and 
will give the traveler some idea of what it really is. An allowance of 
the usual vacation time of two weeks for the journey will be very in- 
adequate, though it will be better than not seeing the country at all. 
Three weeks will do better, and a month should be taken. If the time 
is short, it would be better to do merely as much of a small part of the 
county as possible, and do it thoroughly. That a three-weeks' allow- 
ance is none too much for only a mere skeleton of a tour within the 
region, appears when the time is thus allotted: Salisbury, 3 d^ys; Great 
Barrington, 3; Mo'^nt Washington, 2; Stockbridge, 3; Lenox, 3; Pittsfield, 
3; Williamstown, 2; North Adams, 2 ; total : 21 days. To force the journey 
in two weeks this allowance may be made: Salisbury, 2; Great Barring- 
ton, 2; Mount Washington, 2; Stockbridge, 2; Lenox 2; Pittsfield, 2; 
Williamstown, 1; North Adams, 1; total: 14 days. But instead of doing 
this, the tourist should better cover less teri'itory and see no more than 
he can become thoroughly acquainted with. Tours are sometimes made 
by traveling only on straight roads from either Norfolk, Canaan or Salis- 
bury, through Sheffield, Great Barrington, Stockbridge, Lenox, Pitts- 
field, Lanesboro, Williamstown and North Adams. In such a course, the 
tourist is assured, he will get nothing more than an introduction to 
Berkshire, and will fail to see ninety-nine hundredths of what will be 
spread before him if he beholds even no more than is suggested in this 
article. 

The only time that is open to many people to make a tour is in some 
part of July or August, months that are too hot for such an undez-- 
taking with the most comfort, and, if the summer be hot and dry a 
time when Berkshire is not at its best. In early June, when apple 
trees are in bloom, Berkshire is incomparably lovely, and then, when 



260 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



the hours of daylij^ht are long and the heat is not too great, is a good 
time for the tour. The roads, however, may not be in quite as good 
condition as later, but they will be good at their worst. Like a belle of 
fashion, Berkshire changes her garb with great frequency, and the 
tourist can see the country in any way he pleases, if he will pick the 
suitable time of year. But, if he cannot come in June and can come in 
the middle of September or a little later, by all means let him come at 
the latter time, when he will behold the brilliant foliage and find 
temperature most suitable for traveling. 




BBRKSMIRB PHOSE AlVU POETRY. 



The Beauty and Majesty of Berkshire. 

Thou who would'st see the lovely and the wild 

Mingled in harmony on Nature's face, 

Ascend our rocky mountains. Let thy foot 

Fail not with weariness, for on their tops 

The beauty and the majesty of earth, 

Spread wide beneath, shall make thee to forget 

The steep and toilsome way. There, as thou stand'st, 

The haunts of men below thee, and around 

The mountain summits, thy expanding heart 

Shall feel a kindred with that loftier world 

To which thou art translated, and partake 

The enlargement of thy vision. Thou shait look 

Upon the green and rolling forest tops, 

And down into the secrets of the glens, 

And streams, that with their bordering thickets strive 

To hide their windings. Thou shalt gaze at once, 

Here on white villages, and tilth, and herds. 

And swarming roads, and there on solitudes 

That only hear the torrent, and the wind. 

And eagle's shriek. 

— Bryanfs Mcnumeiit Mountain. 



Sunrise Seen from a Berkshire Hill,. 

Along the pathway, tangles of white morning glories crept over hedges 
of thistles and daisies, while meadow veronica rose up dewily fresh in 
the field grasses, filling the cool morning breeze with sweetest perfume. 
Over us a few stars lingered in the soft gray heavens, and far over the 
deep dark eastern hills and beyond the blue range of the Green Mountain 
chain, the horizon was flushed with rosy gold which deepened into sal- 
mon pink as the sun came up from his bath of blue gray mountain 
mists. Then all the east grew rosy as he left the glowing heaven and 
curtained himself under falls of soft dove tinted clouds. Not many 
moments did these somber hued garments enfold him ; they quickly 



262 THE BOOK OF BEBKSHIRE. 

changed to the delicate hue of peach blossoms aud the billowy edges of 
their soft gray folds, floating in a light of liquid pearl caught up a fringe 
of gold and flashed the splendors of day dawn up to the zenith. Through 
cloud rifts the sun shown over the land. The vapors floated around the 
nearer mountains, and valleys were tinged with the pinky salmon light 
of the mountain rim, the tips of the pine forests caught the glow and 
glittered like walls of emerald set in gold, the bending heads of the rye 
fields reflected the radiance and rustled in ripples of red gold light; the 
eastern heaven burned in splendor of opal and lit its signal fire on every 
mountain height, heralding to the quiet valleys the dawn of another 
day. — " Octavia Hensel." 



Bekkshike in Autumn Foliage. 

The scenery which a few weeks ago stood in summer green now seemed 
enchanted. The Housatonic was the same. The skies were the same. 
The mountain forms were unchanged. But they had blossomed into 
resplendent colors from top to base. It was strange to see such huge 
mountains, that are images of firmness and majesty, now tricked oat 
with fairy pomp, as if all the spirits of the air had reveled there aud 
hung their glowing scarfs on every leaf and bough. * * * One who 
breaks off in the summer and returns in autumn to the hills needs 
almost to come to a new acquaintance with the most familiar things. 
It is another world ; or it is the old world a-masquerading. * * * But 
these holiday hills! Have the evening clouds, suffused with sunset, 
dropped down and become fixed into solid forms ? Have the rain- 
bows that followed autumn storms faded upon the mountains and left 
their mantles there ? I stand alone upon the peaceful summit of this 
hill and turn in every direction. The east is all aglow; the blue north 
flushes all her hills with radiance; the west stands in burnished armor; 
the southern hills buckle the zone of the horizon together with emeralds 
and rubies, such as were never set in the fabled girdle of the gods! Of 
gazing there cannot be enough. The hunger of the eye grows by feeding. 

But in vain do the evergreens give solemn examples to the merry 
leaves which frolic with every breeze that runs sweet riot in the glowing 
shades. Gay leaves will not be counseled, but will die bright and laugh- 
ing. But both together — the transfigured leaves of deciduous trees and 
the calm unchangeableness of evergreens — how more beautiful are they 
than either alone! The solemn pine brings color to the cheek of the 
bushes, and the scarlet and golden maples rest gracefully upon the dark 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



263 



foliage of the million fingered pine. All summer long these leaves have 
wi'ought their tasks. Now hath come their play spell. Nature gives 
them a jubilee. It is a concert of colors for the eye. What a might v 
charm of colors do the trees roll down the valleys, up the hillsides, and 
over the mountaius! 

When the Year, having wrought and finished her solid structures, un- 
bends and consecrates the glad October month to fancy, then all hues 
that were before scattered in lurking flowers, in clouds, upon plumed 
birds, and burnished insects, are left loose like a flood and poured abroad 
in the wild m ignificence of Divine bounty. The earth lifts up its head 
crowned as no monarch was ever crowned and the seasons go forth 
toward winter, chanting toward God a hymn of praise. — Henry 
Ward Beecher. 



Berkshire Stimulus to Literary Work. 

The repose and beauty of the scenery of Berkshire, its stimulating 
climate, its ease of access and its quiet, render it a favorable residence 
for literary persons, and we suggest to them that, if they desire to write 
their novels and poems and histories in the briefest possible time, and 
with the least fatigue, they should come hither. — Rev. T. T. Munger. 



A Berkshire Sunset from a Hill-Top. 

The Sun hung low over the Catskills, flooding with gold the lakelike 
expanse of the Hudson as seen over the woodlands on the west. The 
sunset was one of those peculiar green and gold cloud effects, seldom 
seen, except at sea, but the great earth waves of the billowy mountaius 
well recalled the waves of ocean, and the evening mists rising from the 
valleys of the plains, gleamed with the silver sheen of distant waters. 
Broad bands of sky, where salmon and primrose clouds floated like 
islands above the blue mirage of mountain and gold of river, lay along 
the western heaven; but, far above, the deepening blue light of evening 
spread up to the zenith, bearing on its azure shield the silver crescent 
of the moon. Then suddenly an orange hue filled all the sky, and rose 
in intensity of splendor to scarlet and gold ; the mountains became gray 
and steel color beneath the great crimson ball of the sun, slowly 
sinking to the depths of the mountain billows. Down, down, down, till 
just a rim of light trembled on the crest of the mountains, then fell into 
a bath of crimson and glory. — " Octavia Hensel." 



264 TUE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



The Nature of Country E>'^jotmext. 

The fullest eujoyment of the country does not arise from strong excite- 
ments acting? in straight lines; not from august mountains, wide 
l^anoramas, awful goi'ges, nor from anything that runs in upon you with 
strong stimulations. All these things have their place ; but they are 
occasional. They are the sub-base and come in as the mighty undertone 
upon which soft and various melodies float. A thousand daily little 
things make their offering of pleasure to those who know how to be 
pleased. — Henry Ward Beecher. 



1 



Monument Mountain. 

There is a precipice 
That seems a fragment of some mighty wall, 
Built by the liand that fashioned tlie old world, 
To separate its nations, and thrown down 
When the flood drowned tliem. To the north, a path 
Conducts you up the narrow battlement. 
Steep is the western side, sliaggy and wild 
With mossy trees and pinnacles of flint, 
And many a hanging crag. But, to the east, 
Sheer to the vale go down the bare old cliffs, — 
Huge pillars, that in middle heaven upbear 
Tiieir weather-beaten capitals, here dark 
With moss the growth of centuries, and there 
Of chalky whiteness where the thunderbolt 
Has splintered them. It is a fearful tiling 
To stand upon the beetling verge, and see 
Where storm and lightning, from that huge gray wall, 
Have tumbled down vast blocks, and at the base 
Dashed them in fragments, and to lay thine ear 
Over the dizzy depth, and hear the sound 
Of winds, that struggle with the woods below, 
Come up like ocean murmurs. But the scene 
Is lovely round ; a beautiful river there 
Wanders amid the fresh and fertile meads, 
The paradise he made unto himself. 
Mining the soil for ages. On each side 
The fields swell upward to the hills; beyond, 
Above the hills, in the blue distance, rise 
The mountain columns with which earth props heaven. 

— William Cullen Bryant. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIKE. 265 



Country axd City Life Contrasted. 

It is no advantage to live in a great city, wliere poverty degrades and 
failure brings despair. The fields are lovelier than paved streets, and 
the great forests than walls of brick. Oaks and elms are more poetic 
than steeples and chimneys. In the country is the idea of home. 
There you seethe rising and setting sun; you become acquainted with 
the stars and clouds. The constellations are your friends. Tour hear 
the rain on the roof and listen to the rhythmic sighing of the winds. You 
are thrilled by the resurrection called Spring, touched and saddened 
by Autumn, the grace and poetry of death. Every field is a picture, 
a landscape; every landscape a poem; every flower a tender thought; 
and every forest a fairy-land. In the country you preserve your identity 
your personality. There you are an aggregation of atoms, but in the 
city you are only an atom of an aggregation. — Robert G. Ingersoll, 



Green River. 



Yet pure its waters — its shallows are bright 

With colored pebbles and sparkles of light. 

And clear the depths where its eddies play, 

And dimples deepen and whirl away, 

And the plane-tree's speckled arms o'ershoot 

The swifter current that mines its root. 

Through whose shifting leaves, as you walk the hill, 

The quivering glimmer of sun and rill 

With a sudden flash on the eye is thrown, 

Like the ray that streams from the diamond stone. 

Oh, loveliest there the spring days come. 

With blossoms and birds and wild bees' hum ; 

The flowers of summer are fairest there. 

And freshest the breath of the summer air ; 

And sweetest the golden autumn day 

In silence and sunshine glides away. 

— William CuUeii Bryant. 



BERKSMIRB'S HII^I^S AND HOINEHS. 



Between where Hudson's waters flow 

Adown from gathering streams, 
And where the clear Connecticut, 

In lengthened beauty gleams — 
Where run bright rills, and stand high rocks,- 

Where health and beauty comes, 
And peace and happiness abides, 

Rest Berkshire's Hills and Homes. 

The Hoosac winds its tortuous course, 

The Housatonic sweeps 
Through fields of living loveliness, 

As on its course it keeps. 
Old Saddleback stands proudly by, 

Among Taconic's peaks. 
And rugged mountain Monument 

Of Indian Legend speaks. 

Mount Washington, with polished brow, 

Green in the Summer days. 
Or white with winter's driving storms, 

Or with Autumn's flame ablaze, 
Looms up across the southern sky. 

In native beauty dressed — 
The home of Bash-Bish, weird and old, 

Anear the mountain's crest. 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 267 

The winds come fresh from heaven's dome, 

Blue skies trend clear and bright, 
Great clouds in turn swing gracefully. 

In majesty and might. 
The hum of industry goes out, 

Upon the passing breeze, 
And wealth and worth and weariness 

Bring competence and ease. 

And still each streamlet runs its course. 

And still each mountain stands, 
While Berkshire's sons and daughters roam 

Through home and foreign lands ; 
But though they roam, or though they rest, 

A thought spontaneous comes. 
Of love and veneration for 

Our Berkshire Hills and Homes. 

Clark W. Bryan. 



BBRKSMIRE'S NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS. 

Some of the Nearest Ones. 



SAlrlSBURY AND I^AKEVII^I^E, COKN. 

The distinctive Berkshire region extends southward into the northern 

part of Litchfield county, Ct., a few miles. In the northwest corner the 

town of Salisbury has marvelous beauties that do not pale under any 

comparison that can be made with them. The town is remarkable 

in having every variety of scenery within its limits, from the scenes 

of unbroken wildness to others that touch the last extremity of exquisite 

beauty. It is safe to say that there is no other town in the country that 

embraces greater varieties of natural scenery, and all of the very highest 

order of merit ; and that there are none outside of this region that equal 

it. Salisbury is a country paradise, fit for the very gods themselves to 

revel in. 

Babak Matiff and Prospect Mountains. 

Salisbury is singularly rich in mountain outlooks, from places, too, 
that are easily accessible and that are but short distances from the 
central villages of Salisbury and Lakeville. The Taconic Mountains here 
come to a bold, broad, abrupt end at the very margin of these villages, 
and afford the most indescribable views of Berkshire and Litchfield 
counties, and the Harlem and Hudson river valleys. The surface of the 
town away from the Taconics is thoroughly broken up by hills, and 
some mountains all conducive to making perfect landscapes. The 
narrow valley in which the picturesque village of Salisbury lies, is 
bounded on the east by the Watawanchu Mountain, a short range that 
rises distinct from the Taconics. The north end of this mountain, 
Barak Matiff, is seen from points far north in Berkshire, and conse- 
quently commands views of surprising beauty. People drive a mile 
to the foot and walk half a mile to the top. Mount Prospect is the 
highest elevation of this mountain and is often visited for its extensive 
and varied outlook. It is two miles east of the village of Salisbury, and 
one may ride to the summit, the last half mile over a private road. It is 
a favorite resort of people on the Housatonic valley side. Numerous 
and memorable walks can be made to places in the Watawanchu 
Mountain. 



the book of bebksuire. 2(10 

Indian Cave and the Pool. 

One half mile from the village across the fields is the Indian Cave, a 
wild place in the rocks; picnics are held in a neighboring grove, by 
which runs a mountain brook. A quarter of a mile beyond the cave is 
the Pool, a medicinal spring, that has much local celebrity for curing 
cutaneous diseases. The walk up the ravine to reach the spring is 
a most delightful one. 

Babes' Hill. 

Continuing with the elevation of the town, we find several on the east 
and northeast of Lake Washining, the upper one of the Twin Lakes. 
Babes' Hill is a little smooth conical mount overlooking the lake, easy of 
ascent, and surprising the climber with a much finer view than he will 
expect. Indeed, the view is nothing short of a masterpiece, the lake sur- 
rounded by darkly wooded shores, with its island, its glassy or rolling 
waters, the hills, forests, a,nd cleared fields on all sides, and with the 
dark background of the Taconics to the westward. It is a transforma- 
tion scene in fairy land, and will put a spell on the observer that he will 
be loth to break, though it held him for hours. 

Tom's Mount and Ashley Mount ain. 

Shortly back of Babes' Hill, and rising much higher, is Tom's Mount, 
commanding this same view from a changing outlook, and including a 
much more extensive field on the south, and particularly on the north 
and northwest in Berkshire. East of this mount is Ashley Mountain 
somewhat higher, largely wooded, but affording from many an outlook 
on all sides of its circular summit a sweep of views that have few equals 
for variety in all the Berkshire region. Pieference is made to this 
mountain in the article on Sheffield in which town it is partly situated. 
A drive to these mounts and a tramp over them would make a rich half 
day's experience. 

Indian Relics. 

On the Wetaug road running along the earthen base of Ashley Mount- 
ain, parallel with the Housatouic Eiver, is the old Council Elm of the 
Indians, a quarter of a mile south of Kobert Little's house. The old 
"Wetaug burial ground of the Indians is situated on the bank of the 
river near this place. The wearing of the river at one time washed out 
many skeletons that crumbled to dust upon exposure and brought 
to light many Indian relics in the way of weapons, implements, and so on, 
a large number of which Mr. Little has in his possession. 



270 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

IXDiAx Mountain and Lake. 
In the opposite corner of the town, the southwest is Indian Mountain, 
where the Moravians had a mission in early times. The prospect west- 
ward is very fine. On the west side of this mountain in Xew York state 
is Indian Pond, a beautiful sheet of water that is the resort of many 
people from Sharon, from neighboring towns in Xew York and, often 
of people from Salisbury. 

Beak Mountain. 

The elevations of the Taconies in this town afford numerous outlets of 
inexpressible delight. The highest one. Bear Mountain, is the loftiest 
mountain in Connecticut, being 2,350 feet above the ocean. On the top of 
this mountain, Bobbins Battell of Norfolk has erected a stone monument 
20 feet high, on which he has planted an iron post extending 15 feet 
higher, and on top of the post is a gilded globe 2^ feet in diameter, 
visible for a long distance, so that the top of the globe is about 2.290 
feet above the ocean. People go to this mountain via 3Iount Kiga 
taking a foot path, the last half mile. 

Bald Peak. 

Bald Peak, three miles from Salisbury village, is easily reached by 

driving to within 100 rods of the top and walking the remainder of the 

distance. 

Lion's Head. 

Lion's Head is a breast on the eastern side of the Taconies, two miles 
from Salisbury village, the last half mile being a pathway. It is fre- 
quently resorted to, for the view is extensive in Salisbury and beyond 
and in Berkshire, and one of extreme beauty. A precipice, on one side 
of the summit gives the top the appearance of a lion's head, it is fancied. 

The Cobble. 
On the border of the north end of the village of Salisbury is a rocky 
knoll about 100 feet high called the Cobble, from the top of which 
the outlook is fine. It is of queer formation, rough, and somewhat 
"wooded. The walk requires but ten minutes. 

Heavenly Lakes. 

But the strongest feature of Salisbury is its lakes. It may be said 
■without reservation that in all the Berkshire region there is not another 
town so rich in lake scenery as this one. If the tourist would touch 
the highest exaltation of his assthetic emotions let him come to this 



THE BOOK OF BERKSIIIKK. 271 



town and behold the lakes and their environments, and even if he be in 
search of lakes that shall convince him uf their pre-eminent beauty, 
he will abide in Salisbury, satisfied that further search would be useless. 
They are worth a volume of description and enthusiasm, but the gap be- 
between the words and their object would be too great. These lakes' 
are simply heavenly. 

Twin Lakes. 

The beautiful and the picturesque find their highest forms in the 
scenes in which the Twin Lakes have a place. A wordy description 
would fall so far short of doing them half justice that the attempt is too 
hopeless to be made. Washining the eastern lake and decidedly the most 
lovely, is nearly round, and about a mile and a half across. A long 
wooded island of 40 acres breaks its surface. A part of the east shore 
is like an ocean beach, with its sand and pebbles, and the other shores 
embrace every variety of desci-iption. The water is a clear green, fed 
almost exclusively by springs in the bed of the lake, which is very deep. 
"Woodland embraces the lake on nearly every side, the hills rise around 
the bold Tom's Mount almost overhanging the water, and further 
off stand the mountains, with The Dome and the chain of the Taconics 
stretching along the whole western horizon. This lake is a famous 
camping resort and in August as many as 250 to 300 people may some- 
times be found camping on the shores. The soft music that floats across 
the water upon the air of evening, the glitter of the lights, the illumin- 
ating moon disclosing the faint outlines of natural objects, and the 
rippling of her light from the surface of the water, make a night scene 
that the fancies of the fairies never conceived. Accommodations in the 
way of boats, horse feeding, and so on, may be had on the east side, 
which is the best i)lace to go for a day's visit; but various accommoda- 
tions may be had on the west side. 

The west lake, Washinee, is connected with the other by a narrow 
stream about 50 yards long, flowing water enough to float a boat. 
The lake is long and curving and ends in a romantic outlet at Chapin- 
ville. Its shores are not resorted to for camping, very much, and it is 
inferior in appearance to the other lake, still it is beautiful beyond the 
common lot of lakes and affords delightful rowing. The names of these 
lakes are Indian; Washining, it is said, meaning "Laughing Water," 
according to the standard phrase, and Washinee *' Smiling Water," to 
express inferior charms. Henry Ward Beecher wrote of them : " For 
more beautiful sheets of water and more beautiful sites upon which to 
look at them, one may search for without finding." 



272 THE BOOK OF BERKSniBE. 

The Central X. E. & Western 1\. R. runs over portions of both lakes 
and has a station between them. It has been noticed that boulders 
in Lake Washinee and in North Pond on Mount Eiga have changed their 
resting places and approached the shore. The explanation is that of 
'water expansion when frozen, the ice carrying the imbedded boulders 
with it. The formation of the famous walled lake of Iowa is thus 
accounted for. In the woods a short distance from ^V^ishinec is a natural 
cave of considerable extent. It has been explored, but the passage 
ways are so small that there is no pleasure in crawling through them. 

Lake Wonoxscopomuc. 

A Lake of great beauty, also, is that at Lakeville, Lake Wononscopo- 
muc ( get the rhythm of the syllables and it is easy enough. ) It is a large 
round lake, surrounded by groves and washing its northern shore close 
to the houses of Lakeville and at the base of the south end of the 
Taconics. The waters are of a clear blue, and have no inlet so that the 
lake is spring fed. It is a great resort in summer for the town's people 
and visitors who are spending the season there. All kinds of aquatic 
sport are feasible and are indulged in to a great extent. The beaches 
are fine and some camping is done on its shores. On the east side of the 
lake was an old Indian Council ground. 

Lake Wononpakok. 

A quarter of a mile south of Wononscopomuc is Wononpakok, a pic- 
turesque lake embraced by woodland and field, with a margin that is 
bold and beachlike, in places. People ride to the south end, two or 
three miles from Lakeville, when they want to go out upon the lake. 

NoKxn Pond and Round Pond. 

Such is the wide variety of Salisbury's scenery that we may now pass 
from lakes embowered in beauty to those that lie in an unbroken wilder- 
ness. On Mount Riga are two lakes only four and four and a half miles 
from Salisbury village. The best one, North Pond, is a large lake in 
whose environment, as one stands on the margin, is no sign of civiliza- 
tion. The forest crowds down upon the water on all sides, the shores 
are very irregular and rocky, cliffs rise aboiit the lake and project into 
it. There is a rough and rocky, wooded island of a few acres in one 
end and iu the other end are clusters of small islands. This lake is 
about 1,500 feet above Salisbury, the village itself being 690 feet above 
the ocean. The place is the resort of camping parties, who have here, a 
step from civilization, a lake that seems to be in the xldirondack wilder- 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



27;^ 



ness. Half a mile south of North Pond is Hound Pond, a wild, rocky, 
picturesque lake with the old village of Mount Riga at its lower side. 

Sage's Ravine. 

Salisbury is the home of wild scenery — of the cataract, the water-fall, 
ravines, glens, precipices, forest covered and rock strewn hills and 
mountains. Sage's Ravine, more particularly mentioned in the article 
on Sheffield, lies partly in this town, four miles north of Sahsbury village. 

EossiTER Hollow and Cascades. 
Rossiter Hollow and Cascades, two miles from the village on the road 
up to Mountain Riga, are noted for wildness. Here in a ravine two miles 
long the water plunges down numerous cascades among boulders and 
amid the most picturesque scenes. 

Selleck Hill. 
From Selleck Hill, a mile and a half from the villages of Salisbuiy and 
Lakeville, at the "Broadview Farm" of Judge D. J. Warner of Salisbury 
is an outlook that challenges the most formidable comparison. The 
most beautiful and extensive views are had without leaving the car iage, 
and the road is most of it delightfully shady. 

Canaan Falls. 
As the Housatonic River, which is the eastern boundary, passes the 
the town, it descends at the famous Canaan Falls a distance of 70 feet. 
These are the greatest falls of this river from its source to the sound. 
This cataract, in volume of water, in height, in form, and in general ef- 
fect, is a very notable one. It is seen, but not well, from the car window 
as one rides along the Housatonic Road. In the spring freshet of 18.j7 
a man was swept over these falls and lived to tell of it. Salisbury has 
many other natural features that would be notable anywhere else, but 
here they are not particularly thought of, amid the prolific work of 
nature in which they are surpassed. 

Salisbury Village. 

Salisbury has five post-offices and eight or nine villages. Salisbury 
village lies snug and quiet at the base of the Taconics and is a delightful 
spot in which to spend the summer and autumn. It is on the Central 
New England & Western R. R., three and a half hours from New York. 
The Maple Shade Hotel accommodates about 30 people, and " Lawn Cot- 
tage" near the center, about the same number. Boarders can find good 
entertainment at Mr. J. G. Landon's, and at a few other houses, and 




Canaan Falls. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 27.> 

there are two or three houses in the village that could be hired furnished 
for the summer. 

In the rear of " Lawn Cottage " is a handsome grove of pi'imitive 
chestnut, oak and hemlock of some 28 acres, cut by a winding ravine 
thi'ough which is a path leading to Grove Spring. In this grove is a re- 
markable boulder that is often visited. Resting on the brow of a hill 
surrounded by large primitive timber of various kinds is a huge rock of 
a formation similar to the mountain ledges, about 15 feet high and 20 
feet square. It rests on a smooth limestone ledge, and at an apparent 
angle of ^'S degrees, and it looks as if a child could send it crashing down 
the slope by merely pushing it. It is commonly known as Eostrum 
Rock Grove; Rock Spring and ravine ai'e within 5 minutes' walk of both 
hotels and are greatly i-esorted to by native and visitors. The grove is 
not enclosed. Just beyond is Clark's Knoll, 20 minutes' walk, an abrupt 
rise of 150 feet above the village from which a wide view of mountain 
ranges and lakes is obtained. 



Lakeville is a busy village on the Central N. E. & Western R. R. on the 
slope of the Taconics where they end on the south. Its location is a 
truly delightful one, commanding a prospect of singular beauty and 
picturesqueness. At the foot of the slope is Lake Wononscopomuc, with 
all its offerings of enjoyment. The Wononsco House has its full quota of 
guests every summer and autumn, and entertains them off the top shelf 
under capable and efficient management. There are several boarding 
houses in and hear the village. Words cannot express the beauties 
of the southerly view from this village, and without attempting to do so, 
we must be content to advise a visit to the ])lace. A gentleman who has 
travelled far and wide, who has a quick appreciation of natural beauties, 
and whose name is known all over the United States and in Europe, 
came to this village with his wife to spend the honeymoon, selecting it as 
the most delightful place he knew of. 

A fine drive or walk near Lakeville is around the lake, a distance of Si 
miles. A near resort is the hill on the north side of the road, a mile and 
a half west of the village center. The view from this hill is so unusually 
fine that Henry Ward Beecher, early in the '50's, wanted to buy 
it for a site for a house in which he expected to live in the summer, but 
he was prevented from doing so. Rose Hill, on the road to Lime Rock, 
affords a fine view, and a ride or a walk across Rose Hill, down Wells 



276 THE BOOK OP BEKKSHIEE. 



Hill, and a return by the old turnpike, is delightful, the distance being threes 
miles. A very enjoyable walk is north to Selleck Hill, two miles out; and 
another is to Lincoln City and return via Burton Brook path, the whole 
trip being one mile. 

Othek Villages. 

Chapinville is a small village in the north part of the town, on the Cen- 
tral N. E. & Western R. R., where boarders are taken. At Lime Rock, 
near the Housatonic Railroad, there is a post-' ffice village and one at 
Ore Hill, near the New York state line on the Central N. E. & Western 
R. K. On Town Hill, a little southeast of Lake Wononscopomuc was the 
first village in the town, and still seen there is the old stone Montgomery 
house, built by the Livingstons, over 100 years ago, when they ranged 
into Massachusetts and Connecticut. 

The Drives. 

From the natural composition of the town, one may gain a faint idea 
of the trauscendant delights of the drives. A list of the leading ones 
will be found in the proper place in this volume, but a hundred more 
could be mentioned. Henry Ward Beecher writes of the town that " the 
rides in all this neighborhood are very fine, and a week at Salisbury will 
be apt to tempt you back, again and again." The roads in the town 
cover about 100 miles in total length and are kept in the best state of re- 
pair. The visitor will be surprised to find how much there is to be seen 
in town upon short drives or walks, a feature peculiar to Salisbury. 
One-half mile from the village of SaHsbury one finds himself in the 
extremest wildness, and at short distances he becomes elevated high 
above the country below, or stands upon the shores of the loveliest lakes. 
In the t:iMc of tirives the distances mentioned are from Salisbury village. 
Lakeville is but a mile and a half away and the distances for that village 
will be shortened or lengthened, a mile and a half or three miles, as 

the case may demand. 

Country Homes. 

Several city people have come to Salisbury to establish country homes. 
Jonathan and Xathaniel C. Scoville, both prominent men in Buffalo, N. 
T., and both natives of this town, acquired a large estate in Chapinville 
in 1883, where they have large new buildings with finely laid out grounds. 
Isaac E. Garvey of New York has bought a place on the hill north of 
Lake Washining; Edward Rogers of Philadelphia has bought the island 
in that lake, and William C. Witter of New York has bought a place 
in Lakeville, where he spends the summer. There are numerous sites for 
country homes that can be bought in the town. 



THE nOOK OF BERKSHIKE. 



277 



The Iron Industry. 

Places of great interest in the town are the iron mines. The Davis Ore 
Bed is half way between the villages of Salisbury and Lakeville, and 
a short walk from cither one. This ore bed supplied ore to the first iron 
furnace erected iu Connecticut, built at Lime Kock about 1734. The 
other iron mine in town is the Old Ore Hill Bed in the west part of 
tho town, two miles from Lakevillo, which was worked in the last 
century. Numerous other iron ore beds have been opened iu town at 
various times, but are not now worked. The Lime Rock iron furnace 
mentioned is still in operation in new buildings owned by the Barnum- 
Kichardson Company, of which W. H. Baruuni was long the head. It is the 
only survivor of several other iron furnaces that have been in the town. 
Much of the iron ore mined goes to ten or a dozen furnaces in the Housa- 
tonic valley. The Salisbury iron is classed with the best in the country 
and has long been of great use to the nation. In the Revolution the 
Lime Rock furnace was taken possession of by the Colonies, and 
large quantities of cannon, shot and shells were mide from the town's 
ore. John Jay and Gouverneur Morris were often here superintending 
the work. The '"Constellation" and the " Constitvition,'' — "Old Iron 
Sides," — were both armed with cannon made here. In the Rebellion 
Oliver Ames's works at Canaan Falls made large numbers of cannon for 
the government. The old furnace at Mount Riga did famous work in its 
day. The manufacture of Bessemer steel was introduced into this coun- 
try by a Salisbury engineer, Alexander L. Holley, who learned the 
pi'ocess in England. 

Many Distinguished Natives. 
An astonishingly large number of men, most of them natives of this 
town and all of them living here for a considerable time, have be- 
come distinguished. The state of Vermont owes some of its best blood 
to Salisbury ; among the rest, the Evarts family. Ethan Allen, the hero 
('{ Ticonderoga, and some of the famous " Green Mountain Boys," also 
migrated from this town, wheie Ethan was an owner of the first blast 
furnace in town, and in the state, erected in 1762. The Western Reserve, 
or "New Connecticut," iu O. io, got many of its best immigrants 
from Salisbury. Caleb Bingham, a prominent man in Boston, and com- 
piler of that old school reader, the National Preceptor, vas born in this 
town. Of the men who went to A^ermont, Thomas Chittenden was gov- 
ernor, with the exception of one year, from 1778 to 1797; Ira Allen 
was state treasurer for many y»ars, and Jonas Galusha was governor. 



278 THE BOOK OF BEBK8HIKE. 



Martin Chittenden, governor of that state was a native of this town; 
Nathaniel Chipmau, chief justice of the Vermont supreme court, was a 
native; chief justice Ambrose Spencer of New York, was anotlier, 
and his son, John C. Spencer, was a brilHant lawyer and Secretaiy of 
War under President Tyler. Still another native was General Peter 
B. Porter, who was Secretary of War under part of John Quincy Adams's 
adminstration. Among other natives, Josiah S. Johnson was United 
States Senator from Louisiana; Chester Averill was a professor in Union 
College, Alexander H. Holley, but recently deceased, was governor of 
Connecticut; Samuel Church was chief justice of the Connecticut 
supreme court; Theron B. Strong, was a judge of the supreme court and 
of the court of appeals in New York, and Orville L. Holley, author, 
editor and lawyer, was for several years Surveyor-General of New York. 
John M. Holley was a talented member of Congress from western 
New York; John H. Hubbard was attorney-general of Connecticut 
for several years; Roger Averill was lieutenant-governor for several 
years, Judson S. Landon is now a judge of the New York sui^reme court; 
the Rev. Peter M. Bartlett is or was president of Marysville College 
in Tennessee, and the Rev. Alexander Bartlett was or is professor in the 
same. Albert E. Church became pi'ofessor of mathematics in the 
West Point Military Academy, and published several mathematical 
works; the Rev. Isaac Bird was for years a missionary in Palestine, at 
Beirut, and at Mount Lebanon ; Bishop E. S. Janes received a large poi- 
tion of his education in town ; William H. Barnum, lived long at Lime 
Rock and represented the state in the United States Senate, was a mem- 
ber of the House nine years, was chairman of the democratic national 
committee in 1ST6, that conducted for Samuel J. Tildeu the most notable 
and able political campaign in the history of the country. The list 
is becoming tiresome, but is not exhausted. Among natives of the town 
there have been three United State Senators, eight Congressmen, three 
eminent chief'justices, several judges of less note, four governors, two 
lieutenant-governors, two presidents and several professors in colleges, 
several military and naval officers, several lawyers and clergymen of 
high repute, and others whose offices were high, some of whom have been 
mentioned by name. This is a remarkable list for a town that never 
had 4,000 people. 

Salisbury lies tucked away in a corner of the state where city people 
will find a most delightful i-esting place, with country enjoyments. 
It seems here as if the natural attractions of a whole state had been 
crowded into one town, so abundant are they on every hand and i:i every 



THE BOOK OF BERKSUIRE. 279 



part of the town. The i^rimitive wildness is unmaried, the beauty is ex- 
quisite, the picturesque is that of perfection, and all is where it can be 
readily enjoyed. Words, at the best, cannot do justice to Salisbury, and 
the limits of this article have allowed only a brief mention, and then only 
of the main points of interest. The visitor will discover a thousand morei 



Norfolk is one of the towns of the Berkshire region in the bordering 
land of Connecticut. It conforms to the rule of dissimilarity that pre- 
vails among all these towns, a feature that is found more prominent 
among them than among the towns of any other region in the country. 
This is a hill town that has attained great popularity among the people 
who go into the country in the summer and autumn seasons and has 
made a good beginning as a location for country homes for city people. 
The wild and picturesque nature of the town, its high degree of health- 
fulness, its many points of lookout, its lakes and drives and its easy ac- 
cessibility make it a favorite with a great many people of high social 
standing, who come here for congenial association with their fellows 
and an appreciative contact with nature's hai-monies. The wild, rugged 
surface of the town draws forth much admiration from visitors, who 
find here many striking, picturesque touches of creative art, and rejoice 
in the exhilarating air to find country living so pleasurable. 

The elevation of the habitable part of this town ranges from 1,200 to 
1,400 feet above the ocean and the elevation of Norfolk village is 1,250 
feet at the church. The highest point reached by a railroad in the state 
is here Avhere the highest railway elevation is 1,236 feet. Here, amid the 
hills and mountains and the dry, bracing and somewhat rarified air, and 
the pure water, the germs of malaria are deprived of their nourishment, 
and, if they are ever brought this way, they at once die a speedy death. 
The summer temperature is low and the visitor finds much comfort in 
living here. He is fed from excellent dairies that are the pride of the re- 
gion, where, as is well known to those who have given the matter atten- 
tion, the grass of the hills makes better butter and milk than valley grass. 

Public Spirit. 

Norfolk village has an appearance that shows no ill keeping and ne- 
glect, but on the other hand, lives in an air of watchful regard for its 
material aspect nnd for the welfare of its people. There are several 
people in the village who have long taken special pains to see to this. 



280 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

Judge Robbins Battell, a native of the town, whose grandfather, the 
Rev. Ammi R. Robbius, was the first settled clergyman in the town, be- 
ginning in 1761, has always taken a prominent part in village and town 
improvement, and, though doing business in New York, has ever been 
proud to maintain a home here for i^ermanent residence. Judge Battell 
maintains a fine home where he has a collection of paintings, principally 
landscapes, by American painters, that hardly has a rival anywhere. 
All the best painters are represented and by their best work. The pic- 
ture room is kindly opened to the public at certain regular times each 
week. Several years ago Judge Battell put in the Congregational church 
a chime of four bells which are connected with the clock and are made 
to strike the quarter hour. In miny improvements, Judge Battell has 
had the active and ardent co-operation of his sister, Miss Anna B. Bat- 
tell, and of Joseph B. Eldrklge and his family, who have a delightful 
home in the village. A green or open park has been laid out where the 
streets make a large triangle, and set with large evergreens, beneath the 
shade of which visitors take refuge from the noonday sun. Here, dur- 
ing a week in the summer when the most people are in town, through 
the procurement of the Battells, a band of high class musicians from 
New York gives a public concert every morning and evening, the selec- 
tions being such classical music as that of Beethoven and Schubert, and 
some of the musicians being fr-m Thomas's and Damrosch's orchestra. 
The constantly active public spirit of the Battells and the Eldridges ap- 
pears in tbe beautiful cemetery, in the fine roads, in a free public read- 
ing room where there is a good supply of the newspapers and the period- 
ical literature of the day, in the village Hall Association which built a 
handsome structure in 1885, containing a hall for meetings and places 
for stores, and iu numerous other ways. 

Walks near the Village. 
The natural attractions of the town are so many that it is only by 
traversing almost every acre that they can all be found. Numerous de- 
lightful walks and short drives may be had near the village. At no place 
within four miles of the village does the railroad cross a road at grade. 
Several charming drives will be found mentioned in the table of drives. 
Coming toward the village on the road from near Bigelow Pond, two 
miles east, the view is fine toward the west; and two miles north of the 
village the views are extremely attractive from all the roads in the 
vicinity of Haystack Mountain on its north and northeast. A pleasant 
walk is to Buttermilk Falls, on the western edge of the village, where the 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 281 

Blackberry River makes a lonj? plunge down the rocks. The ledge, near 
Judge Battell's house is much resorted to for the decidedly picturesque 
view down the valley toward Canaan, particularly about sunset, when 
the beauties of the scene are much enhanced. A water tower, built 
here has a private observatory on top. The walk to the cemetery one- 
half mile north of the village,is a fine one, and, indeed, good walks may 
be had in all quarters. 

Button Hill, 

There are three easily accessible summits in the town, commanding 
wide, varied and charming views. The nearest is Dutton Hill, whose top 
is a mile from the village on the south. The top is clear of woods and 
an elevated platform has been built, from which the outlook, south, 
west and northwest is of a most impressive character. The elevation is 
1,632 feet. 

Hatstack Mountain. 

The walk is easy to the summit of this conical-shaped mountain, a 
mile and a half north of the village, whose elevation is 1,680 feet. The 
magnificent outlook is the best in town, embracing, as it does, all the 
hills ti)ward the Connecticut River, extending even 15 miles east of Hart- 
ford to the Bolton range; including the Talcott Mountain Tower, Ivy 
Mountain, and Mohawk Mountain toward the south; several valleys, in- 
cluding the picturesque Blackberry River valley leading to Canaan, and a 
long sweep of the Housatonic valley from Great Barrington to Kent, 
about 40 miles ; the western horizon is the Taconic range, with glimpses 
beyond, and Bear Mountain in Salisbury, the highest land in Connecticut, 
stands up prominently; on the north the view extends through nearly 
all Berkshire, the northernmost point being the top of Greylock. A cir- 
cular tower, 30 feet high and supported by stone arches, has been built 
by Judge Battell to get an outlook above the woods that cover the top 
of the mountain. A new road leading to this tower has been made, so 
that one may drive to the summit, if he does not care to walk. This 
place is a favorite with all visitors. 

Bald Mountain. 
Elevated 1,770 feet. Bald Mountain, in the northwest part of the town, 
four miles from the village, is the highest mountain in town. The view 
is extensive and very fine. People drive to within less than half a mile 
of the top and walk the remainder of the way over a path. 

Other Outlooks. 
Moses Hill on the Goshen road, two miles out from the village affords 



282 THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 

a fine view. It is but ten minutes' walk from the road. Stillman Hill, 

two miles east of the village, with a five minutes' walk, exposes excellent 

views toward the east. 

Canaan Mountain. 

The favorite out-of-town drive is that to Canaan Mountain, about six 
miles distant. Here one comes suddenly to the brink of the steep 
mountain and so striking is the effect that it seems as if half the world 
were spread out below. More particular reference to this mountain will 
be found in the article on Canaan. 

The Lakes. 

Norfolk has several charming mountain lakes of very clear water that 
form part of picturesque landscapes and afford places for aquatic sports. 
Doolittle Pond, four miles northeast of the village, is the largest lake in 
town, being about a mile long. The water is surrounded by woods and 
wilderness, with cliffs rising on the west. A little north *f this is Bene- 
dict Pond, also with a wild environment. 

Tobey Pond, a mile and a half southwest of the village, is the resort of 
camping and boating parties. The neighboring hills and the fine woods 
around make the lake a choice object to the visitor. 

The Canaan Mountain Pond is four miles from Norfolk village and is 
300 feet higher. Boats may be got here and much enjoyment be had. 

The Reservoir is an artificial lake a mile long three miles north 
from the village. The woods in the vicinity are magnificent, and the 
drive around the lake is most delightful. 

Near the state line, five miles toward the north, are Campbell's Falls, 
a place much resorted to. For more particular reference see the 
New Marlboro article. 

The Summee Visitors. 

The accommodations for summer and autumn guests in Norfolk 
village and vicinity are sufficient for GOO to 800, which is the number that 
is commonly found here at one time at the favorite time of the season. 
Boarders are taken at about 20 houses and at the village hotel — the 
Stevens House — where about seventy-five find good entertainment at once. 
The influence of the residents and the constitution of the place have 
brought in a fine class of guests. A few of the people who have been in 
the habit of coming here are Chief Justice John Sedgwick and William 
Dowd, both of New York; Senator Joseph R. Hawley, the Rev. Dr. Nathan- 
iel Burton, the Rev. Dr. Gage, Judge Chamberlain, Mrs. Isabella Beecher 
Hooker, the Rev. Dr. Horace Bushnell, — when he was living, — and 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



2S3 



John Cole, all of Hartford; Prof. Gibbs and Prof. Thomas A. Thatcher's 
family, both Yale professors. " The Hillhurst," of which A. E. McLean 
is proprietor, is a new and elegant hotel built in 1887, by Hon. Bobbins 
Battell, and has accommodations, second to none, for 250 guests. In 
distance Norfolk is but 35 miles from Hartford, and in time but one 
hour and three quarters by the Central N. E. & Western Railroad. 

Country Homes. 

A movement among city people toward establishing country homes here 
began some time ago. Frederick Shepherd of Brooklyn, a native of this 
town, has taken his father's old place in the village to which he comes 
every summer. The place that Judge Sedgwick used to own, two miles 
north of the village, was sold to Captain Isaac Mallory of New Haven, who 
now lives here permanently. The family of Captain John Dewell, 
a deceased native, comes from New Haven every summer to occupy their 
country home in West Norfolk, two miles from Norfolk village. Several 
years ago Miss Hill of Hartford built a house on the edge of the village, 
which she sold to Eobert Geer of Brooklyn, a native of the town, 
who comes here every summer and at other times during the year, 
the house being occupied by his parents. There are many fine locations 
for country homes in the village and town, yet unoccupied. 

The Bobbins school, established here in 1884, affords excellent means 
of education to the children of those people who make the town their 
residence. The present principal, H. W. Carter, with assistants, fits 
pupils for college and makes a good home for boarding pupils. No 
boarders are taken but boys, although girls are among the day pupils. There 
is a handsome, well appointed school house. 

The winter attractions of Norfolk are raarvelously beautiful, as one 
may judge from what he can see from a car window, some days, in rid- 
ing over the Central N. E. & Westei-n R. R. When there is rain in the 
lowlands, there is sleet or an ice storm in this towu,and the appearance 
of the rain or ice as it freezes on the trees is a decidedly striking sight. 
The long slender, elastic white birches may be seen bending their tops 
to earth under the heavy weight of glittering ice, the trees of the forests 
are all coated with crystal, and myriads of diamonds sparkle on the 
evergreen boughs. If the sleet turns into a damp snow that freezes as 
it falls, the evergreens present the appearance of frosted silver in the ex- 
posed places, making contrasts of white and green in graceful curvatures 
that are exceedingly beautiful. Norfolk, all in all, is a most engaging 
town in its natural and social features, and has become one of the 
principal mountain resorts in Connecticut. 



284 THE BOOK OF BEBKSHIKE. 



THE town of Xorth Canaan. Conn., is generally called Canaan, whicb 
is the name of its post-office and principal village. Though the area 
of the town is rather small, it embraces that same variety of scenery that 
characterizes the whole Berkshire region. The leading features only 
can be mentioned, but it should be noted that woven among them are 
many things that the visitor will find of interest. Summer guests are 
taken at the hotel in this village, the "Warner House and at several 
private houses iu the village, in East Canaan, Canaan Valley, and the 
neighboring country. Canaan village lies in the beautiful valley of the 
Housatonic River at a place where the valley is contracting to a narrow 
width. Mountains and hills surround it, some of them being quite near. 
East Canaan 2| miles from Canaan, is a small village in a fine valley, 
through which fiows the Blackberry River after coming down from the 
elevated town of Norfolk. Extending from this valley to the northward 
is the Canaan vaUey, in which is a small village of the same name, a 
short distance from Canaan and East Canaan. The Central X. E. & 
"Western Railroad runs east and west through Canaan and East Canaan, 
and the Housatonic Road crosses that one at Canaan. 

Ca>"aax MorxTAiN. 

There is a mountain outlook near Canaan \'illage that rivals anything 
of the kind that can be found iu Berkshire from common heights. This 
is Canaan Mountain, whose Indian name, less commonly known, is 
Wangum Mountain. Its point or angle where visitors go is a mile and a 
half southeast of Canaan by road, and a path of 50 rods, or one mile in a 
Avalk across the fields. People drive from East Canaan to the very top. 
This mountain is conspicuous in all south views from the south half of 
Berkshire and from Greylock, and hence it commands a marvelously ex- 
tensive and beautiful sweep of prospect, embracing all this and the 
memorable town of Salisbury, including the Twin Lakes, on the west, 
while Sharon is on the southwest and the narrowing Housatonic valley 
is on the south. The view immediately below this mountain, admirably 
exposed at the point where the mountain forms a right angle, is like 
that from a balloon. Twenty miles of the Housatonic River are here 
visible, including the hidden places. This is a place of frequent resort 
for picnics and sightseeing. Under the blutf at the point of the mount- 
ain is Sentinel Rock, which is a cube of 30 feet dimensions, a huge mass 
to the top of which one may climb by a ladder. A few rods south of the 
point is House Rock, which is GO feet high on the upper side, and under 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 285 

the cover of which 100 men could easily find shelter. A ladder leads to 
the top. In this mountain there are many ravines, fissures, caves, and 
other works of nature that will keep the visitor long interested. A view 
of this mountain from the valley below, is in Picturesque America. 

The Canaan Mou>taix Poxd, 

Is a lake a mile long, with a bluff on the west side and with woods on 

nearly every side. It is an attractive place that is the object of many 

excursions. People ride to Norfolk, 7 miles, from which place the lake 

is 4 miles distant, and return via South Canaan, the return being 9 miles, 

but down a steep road. 

Twin Lakes. 

Across the river on the west, in Salisbury, are the Ashley Mountain, 
Tom's Mount, Babes' Hill and Twin Lakes, that are described in the ar- 
ticle on Salisbury. They are but 2 to 3 miles from Canaan, and, with all 
their attractions, seem to be as much a part of Canaan as of Salisbury. 

Delightfvl Drives. 
There are many delightful drives in this town, a few of which are 
mentioned in the table of drives. One road goes over Road Hill, 2 miles 
northeast of Canaan village, and from the summit of the hill the views 
along the Housatonic valley are very fine. Williams Hill, half a mile 
from the village is the object of a very pleasing walk. Campbell's Falls, 
mentioned more particularly in the article on New Marlboro, are 7i 
miles off and are the place of many picnics and most agreeable excursions. 

Pine Grove Camp Grounds. 

The grounds of the Canaan Pine Grove Camp Meeting Association of 
the Poughkeepsie District are situated 2 miles south of Canaan village, 
between the Housatonic Railroad and the river. They embrace about So 
acresjhaving many atti-active features of hill, woodland and view, and 
were put to their present use in 1800 for the first time, and permanently 
in 1871, since which time the annual meeting beginning usually the last 
week in August, on the Monday nearest the 20th, and ending a week 
afterwards, has drawn many thousands of attendants. A Sunday during 
camp meeting will find lO.Oi'O people here. The Association has a large 
eating and lodging house and many other buildings that are put to 
various uses, among them being several cottages that are rented to 
people who attend camp meeting. Besides these, a large number of cot- 
tages are owned by those who have built them on land leased from the 



286 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



Association. It has become the practice of many of these people, in 
July and August previous to camp meeting time, to occupy their cot- 
tages as a place of summer resort. This number is constantly increas- 
ing; numbering about 25 families in July, and about 50 in August, 
previous to the week of the meeting. They have a post-office on the 
grounds and telephone connection with Canaan. Following is a list of 
those who have cottages on the grounds: 

Salisbury, Ct. : J. McArthur, A. T. Parselles ; Lime Rock, Ct. : Nelson 
A. McNeil, Sidney Ensign; Canaan, Ct. : Mrs. Nelson M. Brown, Charles 
Emmons, J. S. Corbit, Mary Owens; Falls Village, Conn.: Mrs. George 
W.Stevens, Edward Ward; Goshen, Conn.: E. S. Richards; Winsted, 
Conn.: S. A. Granger, Mrs. Abel Snow, A. Waters, Emory L. Mead; 
Sharon, Conn. : Mrs. Harrison B. St. John; Sharon Valley, Conn. : Fitch 
Landon; Kent, Conn. : Alfred Chapman, George R. Bull; New Milford, 
Conn.: John Flynn, S. C. Ferris; Kensington, Conn.: Mrs. Mary McAl- 
lister; Bridgeport, Conn.: Mrs. John White, Walter Nichols; Cornwall 
Bridge, Conn.: Charles Hall; New Haven, Conn.: Mrs. Mary J. Hoppen, 
the Rev. A. H. Wyatt; Sheffield, Mass. : Cyrus French; Great Barrington, 
Mass.: Ward Lewis, S. E. Forest, George W. Anderson; Housatonic, 
Mass.: F. R. Warfield; Worcester, Mass.: Mrs. F. M. Olin; Stockbridge, 
Mass. : Mrs. William Rathburn ; New York, N. Y . : Miss Mary Clark, the 
Rev. William C. Smith, the Rev. A. K. Sanford, Secretary of the Asso- 
ciation, 357 West 24th street; Baugall, N. Y. : the Rev. George B. Clark, 
Nathan C. Sackett; Lake Mahopac, N. Y. : the Rev. J. W. Macomber; 
Poughkeepsie, N. Y. : Mrs. G. H. Adriance; Lagraugeville, N. Y. : The 
Rev. Robert Kay; Otego, N. Y. : The Rev. A. Nash; Pawling, N. Y. : The 
Rev. A. B. Corbin ; East Chatham, N. Y. : Mrs. C. K. Jones, Miss Hester 
A. Cady; Dover, N. Y.: Mrs. Sarah A. Hoag; Peekskill, N. Y.: The Rev. 
James H. Haight, George W. Robertson; Hillsdale, N. Y. : Miss Flavia 
M. Bristol; Prattsville, N. Y. : The Rev. B. H. Burch; Pine Plains, N. Y. : 
Mrs. W. S. Eno, Ann Eliza Dussance; Matteawan, N. Y. : John F. Tal- 
lardy. Address wanting: Mrs. Charles Sanford, E. B. Atwell, and the 
Rev. J. R. Vandewater, Florida. 



NE'^V I^EBAKON, N. Y. 



THE rugged Taconics, with their many interesting peaks and steeps, 
divide the Berkshire valley from another of charming beauty over 
in the state of New York, called by many the gem of the valleys in all 
that region. There New Lebanon is situated. The valley stretches for 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 2S7 

many miles north and south of the center— as far north as Petersburg, 
up near the Pownals, and south down to Chatham. The Wynomanock 
Valley, it may be called, from the river of that name, flowing through it. 
New Lebanon's eastern boundary is the Taconics; and it lays claim to 
their grandeur as well as Berkshire. 

The village of New Lebanon is about the center of the town, and 
is the birthplace of Samuel J. Tilden, where the Tilden family still makes 
its home, and relatives of the distinguished statesman live. Mount 
Lebanon is a mile further south and a little east, and is the Shaker 
settlement of several families and the resort on Sunday in summer of 
those who wish to attend the peculiar ceremonies of their sect. People 
drive for miles to attend their "public meetings "—from WiUiamstown, 
from Pittsfield by scores, from Lenox, from Stockbridge, from " Fern- 
side," and in short from nearly all over Berkshire. Their community is 
also an interesting place to visit at any time and here is the home of the 
seer of their sect, the well-known Elder Frederick W. Evans, whose 
fame is almost world-wide in connection with Shakerism. 

Lebanon Springs. 
North of New Lebanon, a mile or more, is the pretty little village 
of Lebanon Springs. The village proper is down on the flat, as it may be 
termed. Up on the hillside, a pretty steep ascent and yet reached by a 
good road, with many glens and wild places along the way, for half a 
mile, is Columbia Hall, one of the old time, as it is perhaps among the 
oldest, resorts. It dates its establishment before the days of the rail- 
road, when the stages were loaded with tourists; and aristocracy, foreign 
guests, presidents and statesmen by the score have sought its retreat 
and enjoyed its alluring rest and quietude. It stands on an eminence 
overlooking the valley south and west for miles, and the scene, as one 
stands looking from the balcony or the heights farther up the hill, is 
simply enchanting. The Columbia Springs are in the hotel gi'ouuds 
and, possessing medicinal virtues, mainly of sulphur and iron, their 
healing properties are much sought, both for bathing and for drinking 
purposes. The temperature of the springs is the same all the year round, 
and the flow is very large. The hotel has accommodations for al)Out 400 
guests and is now the property of Mr Phillips, a hotel proprietor in Phila- 
delphia. In the village is the Fields Hotel, a famous hostelry, a hotel for 
many years and also quite a resort. There ai-e also several cottagers and 
summer residents in the village, for whom the slopes, which abound on 
the eastern border of the valley, are pleasant and inviting spots. 



288 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 

The views hereabouts are unsurpassed in all the re0on. At any point 
back of the Columbia Hall, goin^ east, is a continual opening of new 
views and a cause for repeated ejaculations of delight as some new 
vision of beauty greets the eye. There are many beautiful drives in- 
Lebanon. The valley itself is a treat; the roads are well-kept and there 
is hardly a hill to slacken a trot for miles. To the east towards Pittsfield 
is another drive which baffles a pen picture; a favorite drive is to leave 
the Hall as it is called, go directly east to Pittsfield, 7 miles, then re- 
turn through Bakersville, the Hancock Shakers, over the mountain, 
again west through the Mount Lebanon Shaker community, and then 
north again home, a distance of about 16 miles. A coaching party is 
almost of daily occurrence from Lebanon Springs to Pittsfield, and 
telephonic communication makes Lenox and in fact all Berkshire, ot 
even Albany or Troy, literally within speaking distance. 

The Harlem Extension Railroad passes through this valley, running 
from Chatham, N. Y., to Bennington Vt., and there are frequent trains, 
in summer especially. 

CUIttMIKJGXOPJ. 

THE rugged, yet charming town of Cummington, in Hampshire county, 
borders on Berkshii-e, adjoining Windsor and Peru, and Berkshire 
has a very neighborly feeling for it. Sequestered among the picturesque 
summits of the Green Mountains, this town has become a warmly appre- 
ciated resort in the summer and early autumn and attracts many people 
hither. The pure water, the mountain air, the array of the works 
of nature ou every hand, and the restful repose of the place, have 
been enjoyed by many visitors. The village is on the north branch of the 
Westfield River and is approached by stages from Hinsdale and from 
Northampton. The town has given birth to two distiuguished citizens: 
— William Cullen Bryant, the poet and editor, who left the town after 
graduation at College, to gain a worldwide fame, though he had already 
written "Thanatopsis;" and Senator Henry L. Dawes of Pittsfield, who 
has been many years a Repi-esentative or Senator in Congress, where his 
services have been of a most conspicuous nature. Mr Bryant estab- 
lished a public library in the village in a pretty little building. Summer 
guests are hospitably entertained at some of the farm houses of the town 
and carry away many pleasant memories of their well spent outing. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIBE. 289 



THE hamlet of Hillsdale, N. Y., is favorably situated for the reception 
of summer guests. Accommodations can be found at private houses 
and at the Mount Washington House, which was built particularly for sum- 
mer business and has had considerable success. Many fine drives and 
natural attractions lie in the neighboring region— Copake Lake, four 
miles off, where all sorts of aquatic sports are indulged in, White's Hill, 
near by. The Dome, a short and easy drive, Bashbish and many places in 
the Housatonic valley. 

SXAMKOItD, VX. 

THE valley to the northeast, from North Adams, and on through 
Clarksburg, terminates in the town of Stamford, Vt., five miles 
distant from North Adams. Stamford village is a pretty little hamlet, 
and its famous Paradise Hotel, about a mile farther on, has a great repu- 
tation for trout suppers and has otherwise a well appointed table and fine 
surroundings. It is the great out-dining place of northern Berkshire. 
The hotel was for years kept by Col. Wilmarth, of a prominent family in 
Berkshire, and the old landlord died as one of the leading men of the 
town. A. F. Wilmarth, now of North Adams and for many years a 
prominent officer of the Home Insurance Company of New York, is 
of that stock. 

In the Green Mountains is Wiley Mountain, which, though not easily 
accessible, has nevertheless a fine look-off, and is about 1,600 feet above 
the village. Farther south is another peak, which can be reached by 
another road through Clarksburg. 

The topography of the town is such that there are but few drives in its 
borders, a peculiarity of many other northern Berkshire towns, where the 
hills are close together and there ai"e no broad valleys and far away 
stretches as in southern Berkshire and the central part. A crazy road, 
as the villagers call it, is that along the west hills northwest, and leading 
on towards Bennington. The street through the village is the main 
stage I'oad away over the mountain to Hartwellville, thence to Readsboro, 
Sadwaga, and thence to Jacksonville, or to Whitingham. Leaving Stam- 
ford village to the west and then south, there is also a very j^leasant road 
on through Clarksburg and to North Adams through Eagle street. Or 
this west i-oad can be continued to Pownal over the high spur of the 
mountain there, or turning south, through what in other years was 
known as the Peak neighborhood, North Adams is reached via Houghton- 



290 THE BOOK OF BEBKSHIBE. 

ville and the west part of Clarksburg. Turning east a short distance 
beyond the Paradise House, we enter what is called " The Basin," a val- 
ley of some magnitude under the ragged edge of the Green Mountains. 

There have a great many men gone out from this town in the different 
walks of life. It was here that many of the Green Mountain boys were 
mustered, and the town is full of historic interest, which we cannot stop 
to glean. The Wilmarths were an old family; the Houghtons, of which 
A. C. Houghton, of the Arnold Print Works at North Adams, and his 
brother, Andrew, a Boston merchant, are fair specimens of self-made 
manhood, and J. C. Houghton, of the firm of Houghton & Wilmarth, 
carrying on the largest wood acid works in the country in the little vil- 
lage — quite a curious industry to visit. The Millards were a prominent 
family; Dr. H. J. Millard of North Adams, and his brother, N. L. Mil- 
lard, the shoe manufacturer, and Col. Millard, of Binghamton, N. Y., a 
member of the present Congress from that city, are excellent repre- 
sentatives. D. C. Stroud, a hotel-keeper of some reputation, in New 
York State, is a native of Stamford; the Copelands of Pittsfield, the Wil- 
marths, and many others have gone out from their old native town and 
made their mark in the world. Stamford is not a summer resort in that 
sense and there are no summer residents or homes in the town for them. 
But as a resort for rare sport in fishing or a quiet day's rest, there are 
few places that equal it. 




^Li'/'.Vv^-^;'^ 



CAIflPIXG IB( BERKSHIRE:. 

THE writer •will yield to none in his ardent affection for Berk- 
shire, and the manner in which The Book of Berkshire 
celebrates her manifold claims on public attention will be 
very grateful to every son of the old county. But " faithful 
are the wounds of a friend." There is just a suspicion 
awakened in the thought of those who love her best that Berkshire 
is, year by year, yielding herself more and more to that vexing element, 
fashionable society. Grander and more luxurious palaces, intrusive 
livery, and tiresome dances for the serene twilights and glorious 
nights — hops, too, under stifling roofs, when the moon illumines and 
stars glimmer over velvety lawns and bounteous old trees — these are 
tendencies to be noted in the north, the center and south of Berkshire. 
The pity of it! A summer life worth having does not perpetuate con- 
ventionalities. It is apprehension that this present drift may for a time 
overshadow some other and more desirable phases of Berkshire life that 
leads the writer to add a word in recognition of a simpler aspect of 
summer living. 

But let this characterization be understood. These tendencies have 
not hardened into set conditions. Perhaps it was too much to expect 
that the character which Berkshire derived from Hawthorne, Holmes, 
Miss Sedgwick, Fanny Kemble Butler and Henry Ward Beecher would 
tinge and refine peculiarly and always the summer life of the county. 
We might be satisfied that it has coloi'ed and unpretentiously, almost 
imperceptibly, elevated its tone for so many years. 

The new day has made Berkshire the autumn capital for those who 
affect Newport during the hotter months, but the old life remains 
strong and healthful enough to still assert its claims over the newer and 
more pretentious fashions of this transplanted city life. There are 
earnest workers who make sensible resters, and the ripe culture that 
this fruitful region has sent out comes back to her with each all too 
brief vacation season ; others quite as distinguished and fully as loyal 
have found out her simple, sweet ways of living; and it will require 
many long years and an extended multiplication of great hotels to rob 
Berkshire of all her deserved prestige in things genuine and helpful. 



292 THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



Nature " mothers " best those children of men who study her moods, 
and seek her society by relaxing the artificial conditions that are the 
product of what we call " high civilization." She delights in the fi-ee 
life of the camp, and to those who seek it she gi-ants the largest measure 
of recuperation. To such as go out of houses and stereotyped ways for 
annual communion with nature, Berkshire yields her choicest benedic- 
tion — and there are many who understand this through the experience 
of over a score of years. There is much systematic study of the woods 
and fields of Berkshire — more now, surely, than at any preyious time in 
her history — and we will only trace this appreciation of nature back to 
the late Pi'of. Albert Hopkins of Williamstown. 

Over a quarter of a century ago he organized the Alpine club, which, 
through several sets of young people, lived to tramp over this land of 
" delicious surprises," and to know intimately all its best aspects and 
revelations, bold and shy. He was a rare interpreter of nature, a very 
seer of the woods; the prophet David in dignity and delicacy of soul, 
whom we always imagined he must resemble in personal appearance ; 
and the impetus and character which he gave to this perfect life of the 
woods has never been lost in Northern Berkshire. Each year, Wil- 
liamstown sends its camping party to the heights of Bald Mountain, 
southeast of the village, and to that loftier summit of privilege, old 
Greylock, now made easy of access from the valley of the Hoosac. 

The stranger can scarcely go amiss in picking out a camping spot in 
Berkshire, and the native or old resident needs no instruction. The 
choice lies between mountain and pond, — but where hill, wood and 
water can be combined, the widest conditions of beauty are compassed. 
Fishing parties have been attracted to Lanesboro pond since the Indians 
left its banks. The lakes about Pittsfield, Onota and Pontoosuc, are 
much frequented. " Apple Tree Point" and " Point of Pines " at the 
latter lake are favorite spots for picnic parties. Lake Queechy, near 
Canaan, N. Y., is a very beautiful body of water. The Otis ponds draw 
camping parties from Berkshire, Hampden county, and the boi'ders of 
Connecticut. Berry pond on the top of West mountain is attractive to 
Pittsfield people. The south of the county is i-ichest of all in localities 
that woo the dwellers in tents, with Lake Buel for Great Barrington, 
Stockbridge Bowl, Laurel Lake at Lee, Bear Cliff in Mount Washington, 
— and, last and most wonderful, Bashbish falls, a little over the New 
York border. 

The finest lake town in the region is Salisbury, Conn., — a town 
adjoining Berkshire on its southern borders — whose eight lakes all 



THE BOOK. OF BERKSHIUE. 293 



offer delightful camping places. There is sometimes as much camp- 
ing on Washining, the upper one of the beautiful Twin Lakes, as 
in all Berkshire, the number of campers sometimes numbering 200. 
But, on this account, and because of many day visitors, it would be 
avoided by many. The Connecticut Western Railroad has a station be- 
tween the lakes, so that all supplies and baggage can easily be brought 
to camp. Bread and various farm supplies, including ice, can be got 
in the neighborhood. The nearest groceries, post-offices, etc., are at 
Chapinville, two or three miles distant, and at Canaan, three miles, on 
the railway. The margin of the lake is a forest in many places suitable 
for camping. On the adjoining lake, Washinee, camping has not been 
allowed. 

Lake Wononscopomuc, on the north side of which lies Lakeville, has 
some camping parties in marginal groves. One of the wildest and most 
secluded camping places in all that region is North Pond on Mount 
Riga, 4^ miles from Salisbury village. There are no boats on the lake, 
but they might be taken from Lakeville, 4 miles distant. Farm houses 
are within 2 miles. 

Mount Washington has a dozen camping sites on every square mile, by 
some brook, or lake, in a canyon or on elevated ground. The same may 
be said of half the whole Berkshire region. The greatest abundance of 
lakes, however, is found in the southern part. On Long Lake in Great 
Barrington, at the base of the south end of Tom Ball Mountain, a man 
can deceive himself into thinking that he is in the Adirondacks, and 
nearly as well on the Otis reservoir. With 50 or more lakes in the Berk- 
shire region, and hundreds of suitable camping places on streams, 
it is not necessary to catalogue places well known to each locality — 
and the accessories of camping do not vary much. There should not 
be too much ''roughing it," and the pleasure of this natural way of 
living is enhanced by experienced attention to details. Not only blankets, 
rubber and woolen, with those personal conveniences that come with-^ 
out the telling are necessary, but the trained cook with a modern cook- 
ing stove and a full accompaniment of crockery, skillets and pans should 
be provided. In other words, let the provision tent be furnished with 
all that the careful housewife would desire, — and then the machinery of 
life goes on in these new surroundings in the old way. 

The delights of camping ? That is not a theme to be treated in half a 
page of formal glorification. You will live out of doors, sleep on the 
fragrant spruce boughs under the transparent tent roof, lazily loaf in 
"hammock grove," and, by means of frequent walks compassing noble 



294 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



scenery, cultivate the most enormous appetites. Each day will be 
rounded out by a magnificent camp fire, about which the well trained 
quartette are inspired as no where else — particularly in rendering the 
slave songs, whose rude pathos seems singularly to chord with the pic- 
turesque surroundings ; and in the towering blaze each will see for him- 
self shapes and thoughts innumerable. During all the day the cloud 
and shadow effects upon the sea of woods or expanse of water spread 
ever changing pictures that the cleverest artist cannot steal. Each 
shifting of the weather, too, brings its delight of color, odor and group- 
ing — as after the rain, upon the sunset background the trees, with their 
shining burdens, sparkle with lustrous gems, — for we see old Mother 
Earth at home I 



r^l 







COACHING IIV BERKSHIRE. 



OF recent years the plan of doing Berkshire on wheels has grown 
in popularity, and is certainly a most delightful way of seeing 
the sights in the Berkshire Hills. Coaching parties are now 
quite the proper thing, and scores of gay parties visit the county 
every season, and take in the beauties of the region from that charm- 
ing vantage point, the roof of a coach drawn by four or six horses. 
It is more than likely that coaching was brought into popularity in this 
region, by the Lenox people who ride all over Berkshire on their hand- 
some "drags." Many coaching parties come from Springfield, Worces- 
ter, Hartford, and other places in Massachusetts and Connecticut, while 
others come from more distant points. Most of them traverse the entire 
county, and a favorite route is to start from Williamstown and drive to 
Pittsfield via South Williamstown, New Ashford, and Lanesboro. From 
Pittsfield they drive to Lenox, then to Lee, Stockbridge, Great Barrington 
and Sheffield, thus getting glimpses of the ever-changing views along the 
entire route. The fine hotels at Williamstown, North Adams, Dalton, 
Pittsfield, Lenox, Stockbridge, Great Barrington, Egremont and SheflBeld, 
add largely to the pleasure of such a trip as the tourist is assured of the 
very best accommodations. A very popular plan for these coaching par- 
ties is to spend from three days to a fortnight at each of the popular stop- 
ping places, and make daily trips to the interesting places in the immediate 
neighborhood. In this way all the sights of the county are seen, and 
at the same time the exhilarating rides from place to place are more 
enjoyable because less continuous and therefore not so tiresome. Coach- 
ing is probably only in its infancy in Berkshire, however, and in time to 
come it is almost certain to be much more general, and will bring to 
its Hills and Homes scores of people who would probably never come 
under any other circumstances. Certainly no place in the country is 
more attractive for coaching, as the fine roads, tlie excellent hotels and 
the magnificent scenery, furnish all that can be desired in this style of 
touring. 



BHRKSHIRB SUMMER GUKSXS. 

Capacity, Accommodations and Locations, in Detail. 

Supplementing the established Hotels and Boarding Houses, accom- 
modations foi" summer guests are had in j^rivate families in nearly every 
town in Berkshire County. As near a complete list of all these as can 
be gathered by a painstaking inquiry, is here given. 



ASHLEY FALLS. 

George G. Peck, E. S. Conklin, 
F. F. Cooper. 

BECKET. 

Claflin Hotel, William A. Schlesin- 
ger, Proprietor ; accommodations for 60 ; 
terms, $10 to $14 per week ; one-quarter 
mile from Boston & Albany Railroad sta- 
tion ; transportation, free. 
Milton J. Alderman, Delos H. Hatch, 
S. C. Pomeroy, Mrs. Anna Collins, 

Jarvis Norcott. William E. Higley. 

Mrs. F. E. Eogers, 

BECKET CENTER. 

Mrs.M. J.Hennessey, Mrs. Calvin Geer. 
Mrs. Clinker, 

BERKSHIRE. 

George W. Farnum, H. W. Reed. 

BRIGGSVILLE. 

George W. Weld. 

CHESHIRE. 

West Brook Cottage, Mrs. N. W. 
Mason ; accommodations for 20 ; terms, $7 
to $8 per week ; half mile from Boston & 
Albany Railroad station ; transportation, 
25 cents each. . 

F. C. Brown, W. A. Pomeroy, 

Mrs. N. W. Mason, Mrs. D. Wood. 

CUBTISVILLE. 

John M. Cooper, J. W. Ford. 



DALTON. 

Irving House, F. L. Bourne, Proprie- 
tor ; accommodations for 75 ; terms per 
week, $U to $18 ; half mile from Boston 
& Albany Railroad station. 

Elmwood Cottages, William B. Clark, 
Proprietor; accommodations for 40; terms, 
510 to $15 per week ; transportation to and 
from station, free. 

Chamberlin's Eagle Hotel, J. C. 

Chamberlin, Proprietor ; 14 rooms ; $7 to 
810 per week, or $2 per day; 1.50 rods 
from Boston & Albany Railroad station ; 
transportation, free. Established in 1800, 
and has always been kept as a hotel. 

Mrs. John S. Barton. 

EAST LEE. 
Mrs. H. Oakley. 

FLORIDA. 
I. N. Barnett. 

GLENDALE. 

Private house on high ground on main 
road to Great Barrington, Stockbridge, 
Lenox, etc., Mrs. G. N. Spoore; accom- 
modations for 7 or 8 ; terms, $5 to $6 per 
week ; near Housatonic Railway station 
and post-office. 

GREAT BARRINGTON. 

Berkshire House, Caleb Ticknor, Pro- 
prietor ; accommodations for 100 ; terms, 
$10.50 per week, upwards; two minutes 
walk from Housatonic Railroad station. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



297 



Colli QS Hoiise, Alfred Peck, Proprie- 
tor ; accommodations for 65 ; terms, $8 to 
$12 per week ; half mile from Housatonic 
Railroad station. 

Miller Honse, W. B. Loveland, Pro- 
prietor ; accommodations for 20 ; terms, 
$10 per week ; transportation free. 

Miss Sarah IMoore, Mrs. M. D. Sexton, 

Mrs. J. F. Sanford, G. W. Lester, 

Mrs. Isaac H. Rice, Seth L. Sheldon, 

W. M. Merrill, C. K. Brown, 

Mrs. S. Whitwell, Mrs. McDonald, 

H. C. Woodin, Miss Pierce, 

E. L. Toiler, \V. H. Leslie. 
John Gibson, 

HARTSVII.LE. 

Mrs. May Stevens, Francis Brochu. 

HINSDALE. 

Belmont House, S. J. Warner, Pro- 
prietor. 

Mrs, Mary Axtell, Mrs. T. A. Frissell, 
Mrs. E. B. Tracy, Miss J. L. Clark, 
Mrs. C. C. Robinson, ^frs. E. W. Clark. 

HOOSAC TUNNEL. 

Rice's Hotel, Jenks & Rice, Proprie- 
tors; one-half mile from east portal of the 
Tunnel, at the junction of the Fitchburg 
and Hoosac Tunnel & Wilmington Rail- 
roads; accommodations for 60; terms, $10 
to $15 per week, and $2.50 per day ; two 
minutes' walk from Fitchburg Railroad 
station ; baggage transported free. 

George N. Thatcher, R. B. Tower. 

HOUSATONIC. 

Wm. I. Van Deusen, Mrs. A. E. Smith. 
Mrs. Thomas W. Barnes, 

LANESBORO. 

"Brooksicle Farm," .1. A. Royce. Pro- 
prietor ; Farm Hou.se with accommoda- 
tions for 20 ; terms, $7 to $9 per week ; 
public stage from Boston & Albany and 



Housatonic Railroad station, Pittsfleld, 
at 2.30 p. m., daily ; six and one-half miles 
to house; or private conveyance and terms 
on application. 

Jesse C. Pratt, William S. Royce, 

Mrs. E. A. Sherman, H. A. Reed, 
John Gordon, George Hallis, 

F. D. Deming, George Farnam, 

Mrs. Frank Nourse, Mrs. Livermore. 

LEE. 

Golden Hill Boarding House, A. C. 

Swift, Proprietor; $8 a week, children 
half price ; one mile from Housatonic 
Railroad and post-office, and one-half 
mile from Laui-el Lake ; plenty of fresh 
milk, cream, fruit, etc. 

Private House, J. M. Howk ; accom- 
modations for 10 ; prices on application ; 
half a mile from station ; cost of transpor- 
tation, 25 cents. 

Mrs. L. C. Bosworth, A. C. Swift, 
E. A. Bradley, F. K. Kinckley, 

D. P. Bradley, Mrs. A. P. Bassett, 

James H. Wood, Mrs. R. A. Webster. 

LEVOX. 

Curiis's Hotel, William O. and Will- 
iam D. Curtis, Proprietors ; accommoda- 
tions for 250 ; terms on application ; two 
and one-half miles from Housatonic Rail- 
road station ; transportation, 25 cents. 

Mrs. J. H. Curtis, Miss G. M. Seeley, 

James Clifford, Mrs. J. S. Ross, 

Mrs. H. S. Tucker, Mrs. L. Flint, 

Geo. C. Thompson, Mrs. F. Washburn, 

C. Batolany, Bellevieu Hotel. 

LENOX DALE. 

Geo. C. Thompson, Henry Sedgwick, 
A. J. Taintor, S. C. Swift. 

MILL RIVER. 

Mrs. William Huntley. 

MONTEREY. 

Prospect Hill Farm, Henry Woods, 
Proprietor; accommodations for 20; terms. 



298 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



$7 to $9 per week ; near Stockbridge and 
Great Barrington ; best of city references. 

Lake Farm, M. S. Bidwell, Proprietor. 
The Pines, Henry Clapp, Proprietor. 
Edward Edmonds, D. C. Tryon, 
Horace Purdy, W. E. Brewer. 

John Townsend, 

MOUNT WASHINGTON. 

(Alandar P. O.) 

Hotel Alandar, F. S. Weaver, Pro- 
prietor ; accommodations for 40 to 50 ; 
terms, $7 to $12 per week ; open June to 
October ; 1,000 feet above the Housatonic 
Valley ; five and one-half miles from 
Copake Iron Works station, Harlem Rail- 
road. 

Taconic Farm, H. F. Keith, Proprie- 
tor ; accommodates 15 ; terms, $7 to $15 
per week ; three miles from Harlem Rail- 
road station ; transportation from 50 to 75 
cents. 

O. C. Whitbeck, Frank B. Schutt, 

Ira L. Patterson, Isaac Spm-r, 
William H. Weaver, Linus Melius. 

NEW ASHFORO. 

R. J. Smith. 

NEW^ MARLBOROUGH. 

South Berkshire House, Wells & Jenks, 
Proprietors. 
Woodlawn, A. J. Wood, Proprietor. 
Mrs. J. G. Voorhees. 

NORTH ADAMS. 

Kemp Park House, J. H. Melvin, 
Proprietor; accommodations for 20; terms, 
$1 per day, to families ; one-half mile from 
station ; transportation free, on notice. A 
large grove adjoining for accommodation 
of picnics and private parties, with use of 
flying horses, swings and dancing pavilion; 
prices given on application. 



Wilson House, F. E. Swift, Proprietor. 
Richmond House, L. L. Scott, Proprie- 
tor. 
J. H. Melvin, Park Avenue. 
Mrs. John Crossett, 12 Church Street. 
Mrs. William Holbrooks, Church Place. 
Mrs. A. B. Harrison, West Main Street. 

NORTH EGREMONT. 

Farm House, W. H. May, Proprietor; 

ample grounds and shade ; terms, $5 to 
$10 per week; twenty minutes' drive from 
station at Great Barrington: five minutes' 
walk from post-of&ce, stores, church, tele- 
phone and telegraph office : short drives 
to Mount Everett, Monument Mountain, 
Lake Buell, Twin Lakes, the Housatonic, 
Konkapot, Green River, etc., in which ex- 
cellent trout, bass and pickerel fishing 
may be found in their season. 

Old-Fasbioned Farm Houb«, Mrs. 
B. E. Stoddard, Proprietor; situated on 
Baldwin HiU; six rooms; families pre- 
ferred ; terms moderate; one-half mile 
from post-of&ce and church; one mile from 
Prospect Lake; delightful scenery ; five 
miles from Great Barrington station of 
Housatonic Railroad. 



S.|B. Dewey, 
F. M. Olmsted, 



L. M. Joyner. 



OTIS. 



H. A. Day, 



J. B. Clark. 



PERU. 



Mrs. S. B. French, 
Mrs. H. Parks, 
Henry Barlow, 



E. Shumway, 
Austin Stowell. 



PITTSFIELD. 

Maple wood, E. W. Plumb, Proprietor ; 
accommodations for 300 ; terms on appli- 
cation ; free transportation from Boston 
& Albany and Housatonic Railroad sta- 
tion. 



THK BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



299 



American House, Plumb & Clark. Pro- 
prietors ; accommodations for 60 ; terms 
on application ; transportation from Bos- 
ton & Albany and Housatonic Railroad 
stations, free. 

Barbank Hotel, R. E. Burbank, Pro- 
prietor ; accommodations for 100 ; terms 
on application ; adjoining Housatonic and 
Boston & Albany Railroad stations. 

Mrs. W. H. Nichols, F. M. Strong, 
Mrs. if. Backus. South Street. 
Mrs. Hubbard. Grand Avenue. 
Mrs. Kate P. Stevens. 

RICHMOND. 

M. J. Sherrill, Fi-ank Barnes, Jr., 

M. M. Groat, M. Sharp, 

W. H. Nichols, C. H. Nichols. 
C. P. Lovelace, 

ROCK DALE MILLS. 

Mrs. Thomas W. Barnes. 

SANDTSFIELD. 

Mrs. Maria D. Butler, Mrs. Olcott Cone. 

SHEFFIELD. 

Conway House, J. E. Conway, Pro- 
prietor ; accommodations for 60 ; terms, 
$14 to $21 per week ; three minutes' walk 
from Housatonic Railroad station. 

Farm House, Mrs. Walter Briggs ; ac- 
commodations for 10 ; $6 per week ; one 
mile from Housatonic Railroad station ; 
transportation, 85 cents. 

J. M. Bacon, Henry Spurr, 

Harvey Roys, George Peck, 

J. n. Field, Cyrus French, 

Milo Knickerbocker, George Cook. 

SOUTH EGREMONI. 

Mount Everett House, W. B. Peck, 
Proprietor; accommodations for"."); terms, 
$10 to $12 per week, $8 per day ; four 



miles from Housatonic Railroad station 
at Great Barrington, six miles from Har- 
lem Railroad station at Hillsdale, N. Y. ; 
transportation to railroad station, $1. 

Mrs. Almon Smith, Mrs. V. L. Wilcox, 
William Fee, Mrs. Elwin R. Peck, 

Miss Sarah Williams, C. Williams. 

SOUTHFIELD. 

I. R. Baldwin, William E. Rasson, 

A. C. Hunt, J. B. Haskell. 

SOUTH SANDISPIELD. 

Sportsmen parties, etc., are entertained 
by 
Mrs. Lyman Gaylord, Mrs. .J. C. Smith. 
Mrs. Daniel Webster. 

SOUTH WILLIAMSTOWN. 

Sabin House, Thomas Sabin, Proprie- 
tor ; accommodations for 15 ; terms on 
application ; four miles from Williams Col- 
lege, five miles from Fitchburg Railroad 
station ; two mail stages a day : stable 
connected with hotel. 

STOCKBRIDGE. 

Stockbridge House, C. H. Plumb, Pro- 
prietor ; accommodations for 100 ; terms, 
$15 to $21 per week ; half mile from Housa- 
atonic Railroad station ; transportation, 
25 cents. 

Farm House, G. Irving Bradley, Pro- 
prietor ; high location ; tennis ; accommo- 
dations for 15 ; terms on application ; 
horses to let ; two miles from Housatonic 
Railroad station. 

Edwards Hall, Mrs. Mary A. Ward, Pro- 
prietress. 
C. H. Willis, S. P. Lincoln, 

George T. Bradley, John P. Sayles, 
Mrs. A. M. Goodrich, T. B. Patterson, 
Miss Louise Stafford, Anson Buck. 



300 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



TYRINGHAM. 

Fernslde, J. Jones, M. D., Proprietor. 
L. B. Moore. 

"WEST BECKET. 

Curtis A. Andrews. 

WEST STOCKBRIDGE. 

Mrs. E. Hinman, M. E. Spragu.e, 
Mrs. H. K. Kent, P. Seals. 

TFILLIAMSTOWN. 

The Greylock, P. K. McLaughlin, 
Manager ; accommodations for 175 ; terms 
on application ; one and a half miles from 
Fitchburg Railroad station ; transporta- 
tion to and from station, 25 cents, includ- 
ing trunk. 



Taconic Inn, F. K. McLaughlin, Man- 
ager ; accommodations for 100 ; terms on 
application; (open all the year;) steam 
heat and open fire places ; one and a half 
miles from the Fitchburg Railroad sta- 
tion ; transportation to and from station, 
25 cents, including trunk. 

Misses E. and C. Bardwell, 
Chauncy Hickox, Mrs. Wheeler, 
Mrs.Daniel White, Mrs. S. B. Kellogg. 

WINDSOR. 

H. C. Cleveland, G. W. Converse, 

Edvpard Hume, Jud Converse, 

James Cornell, Ward D. White. 
H. Ward Ford, 

ZYI.ONITE. 

Lyman Fields, Harry Donohue. 



INDEX. 



PAGE. 

Adams, .... 176 

Alfokd, .... 204 

Becket, .... 206 

Berkshire Prose and Poetbt,261 

Canaan, Ct., . . . 284 

Camping in Berkshire, . 291 

Cheshire, .... 231 

Clarksburg, . . . 238 

Climate, .... 241 

Coaching in Berkshire, . 295 

Cummington, Hampshire Co., 288 

Dalton, .... 216 

Drives— .... 248 

Adams, .... 253 

Canaan, Ct., . . . 255 

Great Barrington, . . 231 

Lenox, .... 249 

Norfolk, Ct 256 

North Adams, . . 253 

Pittsfield, ... 248 

Salisbury, Ct., . . 255 

Sheffield, ... 252 

South Egremout, . . 2.53 

Stockbridge, ... 250 

Williamstown, . . 254 

Egremont — . . . 149 

South, .... 149 

North, .... 151 

Elevations, . . . 245 

Florlda, .... 236 

FuTURB OF Berkshire, . 19 

General Survey, . . 7 

Great Barrington, . . 77 

Gbeylock Park, . . 181 

Accommodations for Summer 



Hancock, 
Hasty Tour, 
Hillsdale, N. Y., 
Hinsdale, . 
Lakeville, Ct., 
Lanesboro, 
Lee, 
Lenox, 
Monterey, . 
Mount Washington, 
New Ashford, . 
New Lebanon, N. Y. 
New Marlboro, 
Norfolk, Ct., 
North Adams, 
Otis, 
Peru, . 
Pittsfield, 
Population, 
Prefatory, 

KiCHMOND, . 

Salisbury, Ct., 

Sandisfield, 

Savoy, . 

Sheffield, . 

Stamford, Vt., 

Stockbridge, 

Topography, 

Tybingham, 

Washington, 

West STOCKBRiDeE, 

Wild Flowers and Plan 

Williamstown, 

Windsor, 

Guests, ... 296 



INDEX TO ILI.USXRATIONS. 



Frontispiece, Greylock. 



Bashbish Lower Falls, Mount 

Washington, 
"Bonanza" Artesian Well 

Dal ton, 
Bryant House, Great Bar 

rington, 
Canaan Falls, 
Chime of Bells Tower, Stock 

bridge, 
Claflin House, Becket, . 
Congregational Church, Dal 

ton, .... 
Dome of the Taconics, Mount 

Washington, 
Fernside, Tyringham, . 
Gibson's Landing, Lake Buel 
Great Barrington, from the 

Northwest, . 
Hopkins Memorial, Williams 

town, .... 
Hopkins-Searle Mansion, the 
South View, Great Bar- 
rington, 
Initial " A," Lanesboro, 
Initial "A," Pittsfield, 
Initial " B," Berkshire, 
Initial "I," Lenox, 
Initial " N," Stockbridge, 
Initial " O," Great Barring 

ton, .... 
Initial " T," A Hasty Tour, 
Initial " T," Mount Wash 

ington, ... 

Initial " W," Williamstown, 
Monument Mountain, Great 

Barrington, 
*' Old Berkshire Mills " Flow 
ing Artesian Well, Dalton 
Old Court House, Lenox, now 
Sedgwick Hall, . 



159 



224 



274 

68 
207 

227 

4 

191 
196 

76 



79 

212 

105 

7 

21 

51 

77 
257 

153 

129 

90 

225 

45 



Old Indian Burial Ground, 

Stockbridge, ... 62 
Park Square, Pittsfield, . 127 
Sheffield Elm, . . .142 
Sky Farm Cottage, Mount 

Washington, . . . 156 
Soldiers' Monument, Pitts- 
field, 104 

Stockbridge Bowl, . . 72 
Swiss Chalet, Mount Weston, 226 
Wahconah Falls, Dalton, . 221 
Williamstown, Main Street, 130 
Group of Pictures, . . 14 

1. Lake Garfield, Monterey. 
S. Congregational Church, Len- 
ox. 

3. Ancient House, South Egre- 

mont. 

4 Sage's Ravine, Mount Wash- 
ington. 

5. Plantain Pond, Mount Wash- 
ington. 

Group of Pictures, . . 112 

1 . Wonder. ul Birch Tree,Lanes- 

boro. 

2. Wahconah Falls, Windsor. 
.3. Pontoosuc Lake, Pittsfield. 

4. Onota Lake, Pittsfield. 

Group of Pictures, . . 125 

1. The Berkshire County Court 

House, Pittsfield. 

2. 4. Flowing Artesian Wells, 

Dalton. 

3. Lenox Club House. 

5. Crane Library, Dalton. 

Group of Pictures, . . 166 

1. Campbell's Falls, New Marl- 

boro. 

2. Hotel, Bashbish Falls. 

3. Eastern Portal, Hoosac Tun- 

nel. 

4. Natural Bridge, at North 

Adams. 

5. Upper Bashbish Falls. 



TFJE BOOK OF ISEKKSHIKE. 



303 



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304 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 




THE REPUBLICAN BUILDING, 
Corner Main Street and Harrison Avenue, Springfield, Mass. 

THE SPRIN6FIELD REPUBLICAN, 

THE LEADING NEW ENGLAND NEWSPAPER. 



ESTABLISHED IN 1824 BY SAMUEL BOWLES. 



DAILY, $8. SUNDAY, $2. WEEKLY, $1. 

The Republican devotes special attention to the News of Berkshire, and has long been 
The Favorite Daily Journal among the people of the county. 

The Daily Republican reaches Pittsfield before 6 a. m., and The Sunday Replblican 
BY 8 A. M. Both editions are promptly distributed by regular trains, or special expresses, North 
and South through the county, and are sold by local agents in the principal towns, or sent by 
mail to subscribers in the smaller places. 

The Weekly Republican is a 12-page news and family paper of the first quality, able, inter- 
esting, varied, newsy and reliable. 

The Springfield Republican is recognized as the most eflective advertising medium in 
Western Massachusetts. Send for rates. 

Sample copies free. Address, 

THE REPUBLICAN, SPRINGFIELD, MASS. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSUIKE. .305 



SEND FOR CIRCULAR 1890. 



^VCSHIRE Hoy 

^) W 15th SEASON. <C^ 



C. TICKNOR, Proprietor. 



Southern Berkshire Resort. Matchless Surroundings and Drives. Gun- 
ning, Fishing, Boating, convenient distance. Entire absence of 
Mosquitoes and Malaria. House provides for Hundred 
Guests. Excellent Sanitary Provision, Mountain 
Spring Water, Electric Light, Gas, Com- 
plete Sewerage, Etc., and has 
connected the 

BERKSHIRE STABLES, 

Mril.L.IAllI W. MORXO^I, Proprietor, 

Where the most modern and complete provision for riding can be se- 
cured. Well-selected Horses, with easy, comfortable carriages, for safe 
driving, particularly considered. Space for Transient and Boarding 
horses ample. 

GREAT BARRIN6T0N. MASS. 



;juu 



TUK BOOJi OF BKKKSUIliK. 



"AAPLnWGDD 



ff 



PITTSFIELD, BERKSHIRE; CO., IVlASS. 
ARTHUR W. PLUMB, Proprietor. 



ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE RESORTS IN THE BERKSHIRE HILLS. 

A large recreation room for the guests, containing Bowling 
Alleys, Dancing Floor, Stage for Amateur Theatricals, Concerts, etc. 

All amateur photographers and tourists are cordially invited to 
use our dark room, for changing plates, developing, etc. 

For further information, please address as above. 

OPEN FROM JUNE 1st TO NOVEMBER 1st. 



J. n. W/lTERflflN, 

Livery Boarding and Sale 

5T/1BLE5. 

Main Street, Williamstown, Mass. 
0pp. Methodist Church. 

Good horses and carriages furnished at 
short notice, on reasonable terms. Coaches 
to and from all the trains. 



V 



ILLAGE PROPERTY 

For Sale and to Rent. 



A. C.COLLINS, 

Attorney at Law, 

Commissioner of Deeds for the State of 
New Yoris. 



OFFICE. 

Sumner Building, - Main Street, 
Great Bareington, Mass. 



SAMUEL BRIDGES, 



J«ERICJ« # BEBKSHIBE BOOSE 

STABLES. 



All Kinds of Single and Double Carriages. 

Prompt attention given to all orders. 
Connected by telephone. 



PITT8FIELD, Mfl88. 



Good Housekeeping, S2.50 a year, published Fortnightly at Springfield, Mass., is the 
best home magazine in the country.— JcE»e«?«/fe, Wis.^ Signal. 



TIIK UOOK (IF IIKKKSIIIKK. 307 



DALTON. 

Old Berkshire Mills, 

(ESTABLISHED 1801,) 

Linen Ledger and Extra Superfine 

WRITIJr& PAPER, 

Possesses every requisite for Books of Record, where 
Delicate and Permanent Color, Ease in Engrossing 
upon its pages, and Great Durability in Long and 
Hard Service are essential. Every blank book maker 
can furnish this paper, and the manufacturers will pay 
for any book rejected for fault in the Linen Ledger 
Paper. The Flat and Folded Papers made by this 
Company commend themselves as unexcelled for 
Correspondence — business or pleasure — and for legal 
blanks and important documents. 

Tourists and visitors in the County, are always 
welcome to inspect the works. 

Old Berkshire Mills Co., Manufrs. 

W. MuRKAY CuANE, Prest. 
John D. Carson, Troas. 



THE nOOK OF nEUKSHIRE. 



309 



BROOKSIDEFARM. 
Siininier Board. 

Accommodates from 15 to 20 guests from 
early June to October. 1890 is the 13tli 
Season. Location is pleasant and healthy, 
with pure air and water, good roads, fine 
drives and rambles. At upper end of Hou- 
satonic valley, 65^ miles north of Pittsfield, 
and 1,800 feet above sea-level. Terms rea- 
sonable. Address, J. A. ROYCE, 

£.aue8boro, Of ass. 



* LIVERY, BOARDING AND SALE 

57 Main Street, 

North Adams, Mass. 

Good Horses and Carriages furnished at 
short notice on reasonable terms. Hacks 
to and from all trains. Mountain wagons, 
especially adapted for taking parties to 
Greylock. 



MAPLEWOOD 

Liv^ervj, Boarclir\g ^^ Feed Stable, 

No. 1 2 1 -2 West Street, 
GEORGE R, BARBER, Proprietor, 

Pittsfield, Mass. 



W. H. CHAPIN. 



SPRINGFIELD, MASS. 



BERKSHIRE: VIH'WS. 

Complete list constantly on hand. Noth- 
ing but the highest grade of workmanship. 
Recommends from tiie leading residents 
of Lenox, Stockbridge, Pittsfield, Great 
Barrington and other places of note among 
the Berkshire Hills. Interiors, Exteriors 
Architectural and Landscape views. Also in- 
stantaneous photos of Animals made as 
quick as a flash. We always guarantee our 
work satisfactory. A. M. OOSTELLO, 

Berkshire Photographer. 
Studio, Groat Itarrinetou Mass. 

One door north o£ I'ost-ofllco. 



The Best Family Magazine. 

Good IIot'SKicREriNO isas near norfoctioii .-is 
caiiital aiitl skill can approach. — Lowell, Mass., 
Vo.r I'opuli. 

(joou HousKKEEPiNG is a veritiiblo encyclo- 
jieilia ot useful household knowledge.— /'o;7- 
laiid, Me., Globe. 

SUBSCRIBE WHEN 7 NOW. 
GOOD kiou8Ekef:pii«(«, 

Springfield, Mass. 

I'UBLISIIBU FoUTMtlllTLV, jji'J.SO A YeAU. 
All newsdealers sell it or will take subscriptions for it. 



310 THE BOOK OF BKRKSIIIKE. 

AMERICAN HOUSE, 

Open all the Year. '■ 

Completely Renovated. 



Newlj;, Elegantly, and Comfortably Furnished. Modern Im- 
provements and First-class in all respects. 

PLUMB & CLARK, Proprietors. 

It. EYERETT HOUSE, 

Located in the village of 

SOUTH EGREMONT (Berkshire Co.), MASS. 

Four miles from Great Barrington Station, on the Housatonic Eailroad, 
and Six miles from Hillsdale, N. Y., on the Harlem Railroad. 



Livery attached, with good stabling for private horses. Tele- 
phone (free to guests) connects with Depot, Telegraph 
and Doctors' Offices, Drug Stores, Hotels, Etc. 

W. B. PECK, Prop. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 311 



s-« lEKifSlillllflE iHILLSo «-« 



THE QRETLOCK, 



WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS. (^ ^O^ ® 

Open June to October. '^ 

® THE T/ICONIC IHN, 

WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS. 

Open the Year Around. 



STEAM HEAT AND OPEN FIRES. 

For Terms, etc., address, 



Manager. 



COLLINS HOUSE, 

GREAT BARRINGTON, MASS. 

Eligibly situated within easy reach of the Post-Office, Telegraph 

and Railway Station. 

GOOD LIVERY STABLE CONNECTED WITH THE HOUSE. 

ALFRED F^ECK, Proprietor. 
W. B. LOVELAND, AGENT, GREAT BARRINGTON, MASS. 



The Edison Electric Light has been introduced, and the house has recently been reno- 
vated and put in first-class order for the accommodation of the public. 

GOOD LIVERY CONNECTED WITH THE HOUSE, 



312 



noOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



CHAS. H. BERRY, 

Livery, Sale and Boarding- 

/T/IBLE, 

82 Main St., No. Adams, Mass. 

DO YOU TAKE 

Good housekeeping? 



LOUIS H. REGNIER, 



Dealer in 



DRY GOODS, BOOTS fJ* SHOES. 

Specialty of Fine Custom Made Shoes. 

Also Newsdealer and Stationer. 
Fine Line of Cigars and all kinds of 
Tobacco. 

Walker St., Lenox, Mass. 



W 



iARDEJNf STATIONERY ®0. 

MAKERS OF 

HIGH GRADE CORRESPONDENCE PAPERS 



UNDEK THE FOLLOWING BRANDS : 



" Greylock All Linen," 

" Barden's Hand-Made Linen," 

"Westbrook Linen.' 



FACTOBT AT 



Idams, Mass. 



Great Barrington Baggage Express. 

Baggage Express Wagons to the railway station of the Ilousatonic railroad on the ar- 
rival of every train. 

Baggage called for in any part of the town and delivered promptly. 

Harnesses of all kinds for Sale or Made to Order. 

Repairing of all kinds Neatly and Promptly Done. 

Railroad Street. E. D. Humphrey, Prop. 

JACK METOALF, Foreman. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



313 



nAIN 5T., NBAR R. R. DBPOT. 



T^Rn,5, ^Z.50 PBR DAq. 



HOTCL WARWICP), 



ELEVATOR AND ALL MODERN CONVENIENCES. 
OFFICE ON GROUND FLOOR. 127 ROOMS. 



(1^0. n. I^ARR, 

PROPRIETOR. 




HOTEL YENDOME, BOSTON. 
COMMONWEALTH AVENUE. 

C. H. GEEENLEAF & CO,, Props. 



rNSUKPASSED by any hotel in the 
^ country for the beauty of its sur- 
roundings, the excellence of its accommo- 
dations, and the high order of Its patron- 
age. Most desirable for families and 
tourists. 

With a hundred feet of park running 
through its center, and tlie finest and cost- 
liest residences of the city facing upon it, 
Commonwealth avenue, Boston, is justly 
famed as the most beautiful boulevard of 
America. It is appropriate that here should 
be found one of tlie largest and liandsomcst 
hotels in the country. The VENDOME,whose 
elegance, spaciousness and unusual excel- 
lence make it most desirable for transient 
visitors and tourists, and a peculiarly at- 
tractive residence for ladies and families. 

The propiietors, Messrs. €. 11. (Ireenleaf 
& Co., also have tlie celebrated Profile 
House, which needs little mention here; its 
name is so familiar to every one, tliat to 
speak of the White Mountains is to think 
of Franconia Kotch and " Tlie Profile," of 
summer rest and enjoyment, amid magnifi- 
cent scenery and luxurious surroundings. 



IF you want to sell goods to a paper-maker, paper dealer, man- 
ufacturing stationer, retail stationer, printer, lithographer, 
engraver, bookbinder, or a manufacturer of printers' or book- 
binders' supplies, advertise in TiiE Paper World. It is acknowl- 
edged to have more merit than all the other paper trade journals 
put together. 

Clark VV. Brvan & Co., Publishers, Springfield, Mass. 



314 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



^BEU'afloTnE), 

J. M. COOLEY & CO., Proprietors. 




*»«* ^ j^„ 



211 Main Street, SPRINGFIELD, MASS. 



NEAR BOSTON & ALBANY RAILROAD DEPOT. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIKE. 



315 



N[W YORK & il[W [NGUilD RIlllROiD. 



TRAINS BETWEEN BOSTON AND NEW YORK, 

Leave Either City, 12.00 m. Arrive at tlie Other 6.80 p.m. 
" " " 3.00 p. M. " " " 9.00 p. M. 

The Shortest Line. Always on Time. 

Dining Cars. New Parlor Cars and Coaches. 

The 3.00 p. m. Train Runs Daily, Including Sundays. 

Office, 332 Washington Street, On^Tflli Grand Central Station, UCUf VflHIf 
rJepot, Foot of Summer Street, *'*'•*'*"'• 353 Broadway, "*>" <""*• 

Charles Howard, Gen. Manager. A. C. Kendall, Gen. Pass. Agent. 

June, 1890. 










Open ill! tlio year. Good Livery attached. 

J. E. CONWAY, Prop., Sheffield, Mass. 



316 THE BOOK OF BEEKSHIRE. 

CRANK & CO., 

DALTON, MASS., 



MANUFACTURERS OF 



Bond, Bank Note, Parchment 




Onion Skin, Legal Cap, etc. 



At these Mills the Bank Note Papers used by the 

National Banks of the United States, and the 

Paper used by the U. S. Government for 

their Legal Tender and Bonds is made. 



Paper for the Currency and Bonds of other 
Governments is also made here. 



TIIK BOOK OF BEKKSHIKE. 



317 



f^xtra pine papers, 



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TUESE GOODS, WHICH ARE 
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THE FINEST FOREIGN MANU- 
FACTURES, ARE PRESENTED 
IN THE FOLLOWING STYLES 
AND QUALITIES : 



This Tr.Kle Mnrk 
un every box. 



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In handsome light Blue Boxes, contain- 
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each, and bearing in blue letters descrip- 
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In separate Boxes of uniform size, are 
one-eighth of a thousand Envelopes, corre- 
sponding in tint and quality to the paper. 




Trade Mnrk on our 

" Distaff " brand. 



EXTRA SUPERFINE QUALITY. 

In attractive Lavender-Colored Boxes, 
containing one-fourth ream of Extra Fine 
Paper each, with contents printed in red. 
Corresponding to this, in like Boxes, are 
Envelopes to match. 

All this Stationery maybe relied on to 
be according to representation. It is suit- 
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SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS AND STATIONERS. 



Our Papers are Supplied In Fine Wedding Stationery. Visiting 
Cards, and other Specialties by 

GEO. B. HURD & CO., 77 and 79 Beekman Street, 




FAMOUS FOR HALF A CENTURY. 

RECENTLY ENLARGED AND GREATLY IMPROVED, FURNISHING FIRST- 

CLASS ACCOMMODATIONS FOR FIVE HUNDRED GUESTS. 

Pleasure Parties, Ladies and Families Visiting the East, will find the UNITED 
STATES combining all the conveniences and substantial comforts of a pleasant home, 
free alike from extravagant show, or stiU more extravagant charges, while its vei-y 
convenient location directly opposite the Boston & Albany, and only three blocks 
from Old Colony and Fall River, New York and New England, and Provi- 
dence and Stonington Stations. Six Hundred Horse Cars pass three sides 
of the Hotel, bringing it in direct and close connection with every Northern and 
Eastern Railway Station and Steamboat as well as the thousand attractions 
of City, Seashore, and Suburbs, Unequalled by any Hotel in Boston. Thus 
making a most convenient point to stop on arriving in the city, saving all carriage 
fares, and, for those who desire to spend a day or week in shopping, or visiting the 
thousand objects of art and interest, a most central, desirable, and convenient location, 
toeing only two minutes' walk from all the great fashionable Retail Establishments, 
Theatres, Objects of Interest, and Places of Amusement, 



TILLY HAYNES, 



llesideut Piopiietor. 



TUE BOOK OF BEKKSUIItE. ;319 

H0U8I1T0N1C RfllLROm 

The Only Route to 

GREAT BARRINGTON, STOGKBRIDGE , 

LENOX, PITTSFIELD. 

And all the 

Famous Summer Resorts in the Berkshire Hills. 

Fast Limited Express Trains Between New York City (Grand 

Central Depot), Sheffield, Great Barrington, Stockbridge, 

Lee, Lenox, Pittsfield and North Adams. 

Dep. New York (Grand Central Depot, via N. Y. N. H. & II. 
R. R.), *4.00 p. m. 

Due Sheffield, 7.35 p. m.; Great Barrington, 7.48 p. m.; Stock- 
bridge, 8.07 p. m.; Lee, 8.18 p. m.; Lenox, 8.25 p. m.; Pitts- 
field, 8.40 p. m. 

Dep. North Adams, *3. 05 p. m.; Pittsfield, 4.10 p. m.; Lenox, 
4.21 p. m.; Lee, 4.29 p. m.; Stockbridge, 4.40 p. m.; Great 
Barrington, 4.58 p. m.; Sheffield, 5.07 p. m. 

Due New York (Grand Central Depot), 9.00 p. m. 

Limited Express Trains are composed of Elegant New Draw- 

ing-Room Cars and Coaches, built expressly for the 

Berkshire Hills travel. 

♦Daily (Except Sunday). 

WILLIAM H. STEVENSON, 

Vice-President and General Manager. 
A. W. PERRIN, General Passenger Agent. 



320 BOOK OF BERKSHIRE. 



s:E=>i5i:bTa-:F'iEi^iD 
INSURANCE COMPANY, 

OF SPRINGFlEtD, MASS. 

Annual Statement, January 1st, 1890. 

CAPITAL. 1.500.000 DOLLARS. 



United States 6 per cent Currency Reg. Bonds, {125,000.00 

Water Company Bonds, 166,000.00 

Railroad Bonds, 336,880.06 

Railroad Stocks, 1,327,350 00 

Bank Stocks, 660,630.00 

Real Estate owned by the Company, 110,853.00 

Cash on hand, in Banks, and in hands of Agents, in course of 

transmission, 323,066.32 

Loans on Mortgage of Real Estate, 301,500.00 

Loans secured by R. R. and Bank Stocks, 26,500.00 

Accrued Interest, Rents and other dues, 33,203.62 

.*3,410,988.94 

Capital Stock all paid up, $1,500,000.00 

Outstanding Losses, 186,716.25 

Re-Insurance Fund, 1,174,546.51 

All other Claims, 29,210.52— »3,890,473.28 

Surplus over all Liabilities, »520,509.66 

Surplus as regards Policy Holders «3,030,509.66 



J. N. DUNHAM, President. 
SANFORD J. HALL, Secretary. ANDREW J. WRIGHT, Treasurer. 



Wellington & IJixby, Agents. Adams. 



John C. Wheeler, 
M. H. Pease & Co., 
Geo. F. Miller, 
Wilson & Read, 
Clarence M. Smith, 



Great Barrington. 

Lee. 

North Adams. 

Pittsfield. 

Williamstown. 



THE BOOK OF UEKKSUIKE. 



321 



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322 



THE BOOK OF BERK8HIHK. 




/^URLBVT ]>APER/^i"<i«(Io« 



ESTABLISHED IN 1822. 



HHRLBDT PAPER MFC, CO,, 

SOUTH LEE, MASS., 

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THE BOOK OF BERKSHIBB. 



823 




BOLTON 



Best Record for 
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No bolted, flanged or packed joints; 
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Wrought iron ; therefore cannot crack. 



10'^ Below aad Blowing a Gale 

J. H. MOCKETT, JR.. Gen'l Mana- 

ger N. W. Mutual Life Ins. Co., Lin 

coin, Neb. writes: 

January 14, 1890 

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The thermometer registered 10 de 
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Send for Illustrated Books, 



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Over 20 Tears In Use, with Never an Accident. 

Average cost of gas, J4 cent per hour per burner. 



324 



THE BOOK OF BEKKBHIRE. 



AMERICAN 

EXPRESS COMPANY 

Transacts a general express business to and from all points on the 



BOSTON AND ALBANY, 

N. Y. C. & H. R. 



FITCHBURG, 



R. R., 



and also upon 40,000 miles of additional railroad, with 6000 agencies extending throughout 22 
States and Canada; also forwarders to and from Europe by the fastest mail and passenger 
steamers crossing the Atlantic. 

Special Exclusive Express Train Service, carrying no passengers, but making the 
fastest possible time. The Special American Express Trains from the eastern to the western 
cities continue to run as usual, departing from New York at 8 and 9 p. m. and from Boston at 3 
and 7 p. m. 

Order and Commission Department, through which orders for goods or household 
supplies may be filled at any place reached by the Company. Promptness and careful excution of 
such orders assured, with no charge for such extra service. 

Express Money Order System, by which the public are supplied with a cheap and 
convenient method for the transmission of money with absolute security. Orders are payable at 
15,000 places in the United States, Canada and Europe, and are practically good everywhere. 
Travelers, whether at home or abroad, will find in these Orders a most convenient way to carry 
funds with absolute safety, and a simple plan of indentification. 



RATES FOR EXPRESS MONEY ORDERS. 



PAYABLE IN U. S, AND CANADA : 

For not over $5 00, - - - 5 Cents. 

For not over 10 00, - - - 8 Cents. 

For not over 20 00, - - - 10 Cents. 

For not over 30 00, - - - 12 Cents. 

For not over 40 00, - - - 15 Cents. 

For not over 50 00, - - - 20 Cents, 

For Amonnts Exceeding $50 00 at same Rates. 



PAYABLE IN EUROPE : 
For not over $10 00, - - - 10 Cents. 
For not over 20 00, - - - 18 Cents. 

30 00, - - - 25 Cents. 

40 00, - - - 35 Cents. 

50 00, - - - 45 Cents. 



For not over 
For not over 
For not over 



Telegraphic Transfer Department, through which money can be transmitted by 
wire between all of the Company's 6000 agencies with great promptness at the following rates in 
addition to cost of telegraph service: $100 or less, one per cent, (no charge less than fifty cents); 
over Jioo to $200, S1.25 ; over J200 to J300, J1.50 ; over $300 to J400, J1.75 ; over J400 to $500, 
$2.00. jFor rates for larger sums apply to agents. 

European Department : Merchandise and Passengers' Baggage from Europe carried 
IN BOND from New York and Boston, without Customs examination, to Inland Ports of the 
United States without charge for Custom House Brokekagb or Cartage service, when 
carried by this Company. 

Baggage accompanying returning European travelers can be carried under the above arrange- 
ment — also to Canada. The Uniformed Agent of the Company will meet steamers arriving at 
New York, prepared to give receipts and otherwise assist passengers in making shipments. 



THE BOOK OF BEKKSHIRE. 



LIVERY STABLES . D. J. PRATTS DALTON, MflSS . 

We have two first-class liverys in connection with the Irving House, the IRVING 
HOUSE LIVERY, one of the modernstablesof the county, and the UPPER STABLE, 
situated at the corner of Main Street and Weston Avenue. Our stables contain all the 
latest styles of vehicles, including fine Berlin Coaches and five Glass Landaus, Six and 
Four-in-Hand Tally-hoes, Four, Three and Two-Seaters of the best kind. Single Turn- 
outs of all descriptions. 

Our horses are selected especially for the wants of Summer Guests, are all good read- 
ers and safe; a number of fine Saddlers have been added since last season. We are fully 
equipped in every department and are confident that we shall be able to please our patrons 
for the season of 1890. 

Carriages meet all trains arriving at the Boston & Albany depot. 

D. J. PRATT, Proprietor. 




IRVING HOUSE 



DALTON, Berkshire Co., MASS. 



<jrniS House is situated in the center of 

■^ the famous Berkshire Hills. Drives and 

scenery unsurpassed. Electric lights, and 

all modern improvements. Spacious lawn. 

F. L. BOURNE, Prop. 



Elmwood Cottages. 

BERKSHIRE HILLS, DALTON, MASS. 

These are twn good sp.icious cott.iges, finely loca- 
ted m the flourishing town of Dalton, M.iss., on the 
Boston and Alb.iny railroad, five miles cast of Pitts- 
lield, and easy of access from all points. 

The buildinps are two and one-half stories high- 
all handsomely lurnished throughout; large rooms, 
hot and cold water, bath-rooms, range, cement floor 
t« cellar, perfect drainage, and with every appliance 
and convenience for a first-class summer home. 

They may be rented from May ist to Nov. ist, or 
later, if desired. For terms, apply to 

WILLIAM n. CLARK, 

Dalton, Berkshire Co., Mass, 



Write for Samples 
of something or other. 
Take us at our word, and 
bother us as much as you 
like. You can't do it 
enough to do us the good 
we are after. 

Forbes & Wallace, Springfield, Mass. 



THE BOOK OF BERK8HIBE. 




Extracts of 
Choicest FruitS' 

VFinnins Friends Everywhere. CUCDV CAMII V 
Dealers Treble Sales with Xhem. CffCllI rllllllLI 



PERFECTLY PURE 



TTnequaled Strensrth for All. 
Thousands of Gross Sold. 

Should Know Their Delicious Flavors. 
Ask Tour Orocer or Dealer for Them. 



THE BEST 



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BOOKS foi-gl.75,sent postpaid byCLARK 
W. Bryan & Co.. Publishers Good 
HoiSEKKEpiNG, Spiiiigflelil, Mass. Tei- 
fect Breafl, Key to Cooking, Lessons in 
Canrly JIaking, Six Cups of Coffee, 
Dainty Desserts for Dainty Diners, In 
the Sick Room. 



Chamberlin's Eagle Hotel. 

First-elass Livery Stable in connection with 
the hoteL J. C. Chamberlin, Proprietor, 
Cor. Main and Depot Streets, Dalton, Mass. 



IT matters not whether you are a paper-maker or a paper man- 
ufacturer, whether you run a printing-ofQce or set type in the same, 
whether you are a lithographer, engraver, bookbinder, clerk in a 
stationery store, or proprietor of the same, sell ink or manufacture it, 
run an amateur office in your back garret or a big metropolitan printing- 
office, you should take The Paper World. It is $2 a year, and is pub- 
lished by Clark W. Bryan & Co., Springfield, Mass. 

THE "MBCOCK" BUCKB0/IRd7 







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THE noOK OF HEUKSniKE. 



G W PLATT DRUGGIST .^^ APOTHECARY, 

^* »». 1 L^riL 1, GRAT BARRINGTON, MASS. 

A thorough knowledge of business, honest dealing and accuracy. 

DRUGS, MEDICINES fj^^ CHEMICALS. 

Clioice Confectionery, Imported Cigars, Pure Wines, Liquors and Mineral Waters 

at Lowest Prices. 

ORDERS TAKEN FOR CUT FLOWERS. 



GREAT BARRINGTON, MASS. 

If you intend spending the summer at or near this beautiful place 

'^^™^£^™. LILLIE S SIMMONS^ 

A FIRST-CLASS DRUG STORE. 

Anything usually to be found in the finest city stores. Prescriptions a specialty at any 

hour. Don't Forget. 
No. 3 BEKKsmnE House Block, - - - Great Barrington, Mass. 



F.T WHITINGS SON, apoTSries. 

Fancy Goods in all varieties we keep a very complete stock of, and can show 

anjthmg useful in that line. Also Foreign and Domestic Cigars 

we carry a very large stock of. Then our 

DRUG P.^^ PATENT MEDICINE LINE 

Is larger than is often found in the country. HUYLER'S CONEFCTIONERY. 

GREAT BARRINGTON, MASS. 



COLLINS HOUSE ►*' MILLER HOUSE 
LIVERY AND BOARDING 

Great Barrington, PvIass 

First-class Teams furnished with experienced drivers. Orders left at Lillic & 
Simmons' Drug Store will have prompt attention, by Telephone. 



STABLES 



GEORGE A. TULLER. 



The book op Berkshire. 




MID THE BERKSHIRE HILLS. 

Four Hours from New York. 

Great Barrington, Mass., 

Where Bryant dwelt during his early life, and visitors in the 
succeeding years find a source of inspiration and pleasure, in 
natural and cultivated conditions for summer sojourn or year- 
round life. There is an increasing demand for best sites and 
summer residence property, inside, and farm homes outside, for 
reasons, namely : Great Barrington is without a peer in all New 
England, and in varied attractions. Convenient to the princi- 
pal cities, no malaria, no mosquitoes nor hot nights in summer, 
or blasting wind-storms or fogs at any season. Mountains and 
lakes, grand view-points and cascades, fishing and shooting are 
all within drive of an hour or two, with roads superb. The 
town has 5,000 population. Has soft and pure water supply. 
Sewerage system throughout the village. Its main street shaded 
one and a half miles by large elms. Electric light system for 
the streets. Incandescent light system and gas for interior use. 
Substantial public buildings. Five excellent churches. Mahaiwe 
National Bank and a Savings Institution. Public schools of high 
order. Sedgwick Institute for boys, private. Housatonic Hall 
for girls, private. Hotels Berkshire, Collins, Miller, all good. 
Trout Hatchery Club (half million capacity). Out-and-Indoor 
Club (village improvement). Newspapers, the Berkshire Courier 
and the Berkshire News. 

The prevailing order, free library, expensive residences, build- 
ings and grounds, miles of concrete walks, superior building 
stone, hydrant and steam fire protection, rare sanitary condi- 
tions, enhance the interest and pride of citizens who have organ- 
ized The Berkshire Hills Association, the secretary of 
which will cheerfully reply to inquiries concerning lease or sale 
of property, boarding-houses, etc. 



THE BOOK OF BEBK8HIRE. 




WesleyaN 

ACADEMY, 



WILBRAHAM, MASS. 



This is one of the half-dozen best Classical and Preparatory Schools in 
New England. It is open to both sexes, and furnishes rare advantages, not only 
for fitting students for all the colleges of the country, but also for academic and 
industrial science studies and for commercial and ornamental branches. 

The situation is one of the most beautiful that can well be imagined. It is 
entirely rural, in a quiet village, with no places of demoralizing resort. The 
grounds are ample and tastefully laid out. The buildings are capacious, neat, 
and every way convenient. The facilities, both for the enjoyment and the im- 
provement of the students, are seldom equalled. 

SEVEN COURSES OF STUDY. 

I. The Common English. 2. Commercial Course. 3. Preparatory Course, 
of four years, fitting Gentlemen for any of the New England Colleges, and 
Ladies for Middletown, Vassar, Smith, and Wellesley. 4. An Academic Course, 
comprising a generous range of studies for those not designing to enter College. 
5. An Industrial Science Course, a new and most promising feature of the 
Institution. 6. A Course in Music, of an unusually high character. 7. A 
Course in Art, affording excellent facilities for study and culture. 



SEND FOR CATALOGUE TO 



GEO. M.STEELE. 



PRINCIPAL. 



WILBRAHAM, MASS. 




THE BOOK OF BERKSUIliE. 



CRANE'S FINE ST ATIONERY AT MILL PRICES. 

GEORGE BLATCHFORD, 

1 2 North Street, Pittsfield, Mass. 

BOOKS, STATIONERY AND ENGRAVING. CARD AND INVITATION ENGRAV- 
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Send for Sample Book of Fine Papers. 




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GLhRKW.BRY/\N&GOMP/\NY, 

39, 41 and 43 Lyman Street., - - - Springfield, Mass 

PUBLISHERS. PRINTERS AND BINDERS. 

ALL KINDS OF MERCANTILE, MANUFACTURING, CATALOGUE 
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THE BOOK OF 1JKUK8HIX4E. 




ALL IMFURE 

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CONTINUOUS.lNEXPENSIVE.REUABLE. ..j REMOVEb. i-1 

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The Paper World, 

Library Bulletin. 

Springfield, Mass., April 5, 1890. 
The Sherman " King " Vaporizer Co., Chicopee Falls, Mass. 

Gejitlemen : — I have used your Vaporizer for an aggravated case 
ot catarrh, with excellent results. In the mid-winter of 1888-1889, I 
first tried the Vaporizer and soon found myself free from catarrh, 
from which I had suffered for several years, especially in cold 
weather. I have since used the Vaporizer during the past winter 
— one of the worst seasons known for catarrhal complaints — arid 
have been entirely free from catarrh, the first winter season for 
many years. Yours truly, 

CLARK W. BRYAN. 



SE] JLir'-.if^OTIlSrO-. 



Each Vaporizer sold charged for use. No care except to 
replenish once in two months, at expense of 4 to 8 cents, according 
to size. Three sizes, $3.50, I5.00, jf^S.oo. Illustrated pamphlet free 
to all. Address, 

SHERMAN "KING" VAPORIZER CO,, 

CHICOPEE FALLS. MASS. 
Boston, New York, Piiiladelpuia, Chicago, oii Columbus, 0. 



THE BOOK OF BERKSHIBK. 



F. M. PEASE, I 



PHARMACIST, E 4 Main St., Lee, Mass., iistabUshed 

i860. Physicians' Prescriptions Receive Special Attention. All Clerks Reg- 
istered. Fine Toilet Requisites, Chamois, Sponges. Good Goods at Fair 
Prices. ^ 



NOlJir READY. 

Massachusetts in the War, 

leei— isss. 

By JAMHS I.. BOTVKN. 

With an Introduction by HON. HENIIX L. DATVES. 



massactiuseUH in the V» ar, from the putlisheib' standpoint, is 
a fine specimen of modern book-making, and the completed work must take a 
high place in its class, for its mechanical as well as its literary merit. In one 
magnificent volume of 1,050 large 8vo pages, richly illustrated with portraits, is 
given a graphic and comprehensive summary of the doings of the Commonwealth 
and of her soldiers and statesmen during the four years of civil war. 

Xlie Historical Karratlve, with which the book opens, covers 
about 100 pages, and touches carefully every important phase of the struggle as 
it was presented to the State in its relation to the general government. 

The Histories of Orsranizations form the body of the work, 
covering 773 pages. In this compass the story is fully told of 71 regiments, 16 
• batteries of light artillery, 3 battalions and 33 separate companies. The narrative 
of each is complete, starting with its organization, giving the original roster of 
officers, field, staff and line; following the command through all its wanderings; 
narrating its part and stating its loss in every action in which it was engaged ; and 
completing the record with its muster out and the return ofi its members to civil 
life. 

General OflBcers from Massachusetts, whether servingjwith the vol- 
unteer forces or in the legulzT army, are treated individually, and carefully pre- 
pared sketches are given of the military service of 122 officers attaining to the 
rank of Brevet Brigadier General or higher grade. 

Xlie portraits comprise a fine frontispiece of Governor Andrew, with 
handsome half-page pictures of Senators Sumner, Wilson, and Dawes, the author, 
and 57 of the general officers. 

The Statistical Table presents in compact form for instant refer- 
ence, the principal facts regarding each organization^and there is a very full and 
valuable index. 

Price.— The book will be sold at the low price of $4.50, in fine and attract- 
ive cloth binding ; leather back and corners, cloth sides, Is.oo ; the same with 
marbled paper sides, J5.00; full library, f i;.oo; full leather, $6.00. 



CLARK W. BRYAN & CO., Publishers. 

SPRI^OFIHI^D, MASS. 





Grand Prize Gold medal A^prarded. 

MEDAL OF HONOR AND PERFECTION RECOMMENDED, PARIS, 1878. 

THB HIGHEST AND ONLY AWARD WAS GIVEN 

BYRON WESTON 



-FOR- 



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Which has received the highest premium and medal ovtr all others from 



Adelaide, 

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Silver 

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Gold 


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Silver 


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Its principal advantages are as follows : 

1. It contains more Linen than any other Ledger Paper, has a longer fibre, and is 
consequently tougher. 

2. Havmg a harder and better body, and being more thoroughly sized, the ink spreads 
less after makmg an erasure. 

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This paper is Double-Sized, and will standany climate, or the most acid of fluid inks. 
Each sheet is water-marked with name and date, "Byron Weston's Linen Re- 
cord, 1890." 



!n ordering Books, specify this -brand of Paper to be used 



The Berkshire Life 

INSURANCE COMPANY, 

OF FIXTSFIEILD, ]VEjP5.SS. 

^ - 

It issues one of the plainest and most lib- 
eral policy contracts extant. 

It has ample solid assets, and a large and 
substantial surplus. 

It has offices in the principal Cities and 
Towns in the North, East and West. 

For circulars and pamphlets apply to any 
of its Agents or-to the Home Office. 



^_ 

WILLIAM R. PLUNKETT, PRESIDENT. 

JAMES M. BARKER, VICE-PRESIDENT. 

JAMES W. HULL. SECRETARY. 



^ 

HAMER & STONE, General Agents for Western Massachusetts. 

OFFICE, COMPANY'S BUILDING, PITTSFIELD. 

Those interested in the Berkshire Hills will be furnished with fine 
maps free on application. 



